Senate president David Mark has urged governors from the northern region to ban the almajiri system, even as he blamed northern politicians for their inability to stem the almajiri system. He said they have failed to curtail the activities of the almajiris because most of the politicians have used them for political reasons.
He made this observation yesterday during the lead debate on trafficking in persons, law enforcement and administration which was passed for a second reading by the senate.
The bill, which was sponsored by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (PDP, Cross River Central), seeks to enact a new law which will cure the defects in the existing law as well as adhere to the principle of non-criminalisation of victims of trafficking by ensuring their protection and assistance irrespective of immigrant status and repeal the trafficking in persons law and enforcement and administration act.
The Senate subsequently referred it to the Committee on Judiciary and Women Affairs and report back to plenary in four weeks.
According to the Senate president, the almajiri system is counter-productive and is a breeding ground for irresponsible miscreants .
Mark said: “I was very impressed when Alkali Jajere made his point and I had to call the man who introduced Sharia because, wrongly or rightly, I think he is knowledgeable in Islamic affairs, to ask him truly if almajiri is not an Islamic injunction. And he told me categorically that it is not.
It’s a system that is counter-productive, it is a breeding ground for irresponsible miscreants and we cannot tolerate it. Because, for those who have different faith, one is a bit worried about making comments on it, but today that I’ve heard that it is not an Islamic injunction, I think that system ought to have been banned long ago.
“I hope that they will summon the courage to ban the system at the earliest possible time. I’m told that Kano yesterday (Tuesday) issued a statement banning it and I believe that the other state governors should be able to follow as quickly as possible.’’
[Leadership]
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