The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), Dr. Muhammed Idris has stated that over 22,000 Almajiri were rescued from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during its mop up exercise.
Idris, who was speaking during a monitored interview with the NTA, stated that the children have been handed over to the minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike who has promised to ensure that the children are sent to school.
“We directed them to go round the municipal council to mop out children so that they will be enrolled back to school. They have successfully, within a period of three weeks, mopped over 22,000 children and we are talking with the administration of the FCT to take them back to school. We are glad to say that the minister has given us a positive nod that he will support us.”
Idris noted that the exercise was a pilot programme which will be replicated across the 36 states of the federation.
“In a very short while, we will be able to take back these 10 million Nigerians that the president is willing to take back to school,” he said.
He added that President Bola Tinubu is determined to take at least 10 million Nigerians that are out-of-school children back to school.
Idris explained that the Commission is bringing in stakeholders across 36 states so as to chart a roadmap to enable the nation to address the problems.
“It is not only about the Almajiri. You are not oblivious for sure of the fact that Boko Haram has linguistically manipulated the Almajiri who do not in any way understand the text of the Koran correctly and have decided to give them interpretations that are not with the true teachings of the holy book that gave them the audacity to take arms against the government.
“In Nigeria, the president is no longer willing to allow any Nigerian to lose his life because someone has imbibed in him illiteracy and has taken up arms against Nigerians.
“So, we are coming up with a very beautiful road map that can address this problem. The issue of Almajiri and out-of-school problems is a trans-border issue and when we come up with a strategic plan we will be able to address the problem and we will have a model that other countries can emulate from,” he said.
He emphasized that the Commission is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser to prevent the exploitation of these minors, ensuring they are not recruited into harmful activities.