The governor noted that the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic provided the best opportunity for Northern governors to end the system as it had become easy to locate the children.
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has restated the commitment of Northern governors to ending the Almajiri system, which he reckons had failed in the region.
El-Rufai spoke during an interview with Channels Television monitored by SaharaReporters.
The governor noted that the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic provided the best opportunity for Northern governors to end the system as it had become easy to locate the children.
The governor revealed that the state had repatriated over 30,000 almajiri children while 169, who are originally from Kaduna State, had been received from Kano.
He said, “The Northern state governors took a collective decision at the meeting we had that we will end almajiri system completely and part of the step was to repatriate them back to their states of origin while each state government will return them to their parents and back to school.
“We have sent back over 30,000 almajiri children and we are happy to receive any almajiri from any state. We have received 169 from Kano and we have immediately quarantined them. 65 are positive for Coronavirus.
"Northern governors are determined to end this system once and for all because it has not worked for our part of the country, it has been a source of problem for the rest of the country and we are determined to end it.”
He also said that the state had reviewed a law to abolish the system, adding that the region was ready for any backlash from any segment of the region.
El-Rufai added, “We are ready to face anyone that wants to confront us on this matter and we are going to implement it to the letter. We are ready for any backlash but we do not think we should mortgage the future of our children and put our nation at risk with the continuation of this system.
“It is archaic and it has not led to any positive result for our region and our country. I can assure you that in Kaduna State, it is gone, we reviewed a law that will formally prohibit this system.”