Almajiri: End Street Begging In The North Now – Buhari’s Ex-Aide Tells Northern Leaders
A former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has called on authorities in Kano State and other parts of northern Nigeria to demonstrate strong political will in tackling the menace of street begging, popularly known as ‘Almajiri’ or ‘Almajiranci’ in the northern part of the country.
Ahmad said meaningful progress could only be achieved if governments stopped abandoning vulnerable people to their fate and took full responsibility for protecting children and other at-risk groups.
The former presidential aide made the call in a post shared on his verified (formerly Twitter) handle, where he criticised what he described as the continued neglect of vulnerable citizens by relevant authorities.
According to him, leaving children entirely in the care of parents or guardians who are either unable or unwilling to safeguard their welfare has worsened the problem of street begging across major northern cities.
“The authorities cannot continue to abandon vulnerable people to their fate nor leave children entirely in the care of parents and guardians who are unable or unwilling to protect their welfare,” Ahmad wrote.
Ahmad stressed that any genuine attempt to reduce street begging must begin with decisive action to uproot the practice from public spaces.
He noted that this step should then be followed by the proper implementation of social and welfare interventions aimed at rehabilitation and long-term support for those affected.
“For a start, street begging must be decisively uprooted, followed by the implementation of the right social and welfare intervention,” he said.
The former Buhari aide also warned against half-hearted measures driven by fear of political consequences, insisting that authorities must act firmly and consistently.
According to him, efforts to address street begging would only succeed if carried out without fear of backlash or political pressure.
“To significantly reduce begging on the streets of Kano and parts of the North, there must be a deliberate and strong political will,” Ahmad added, stressing that interventions must be enforced “firmly, consistently and without fear of political backlash or consequences.”
the street begging remains a persistent social challenge in many northern states, particularly in urban centres such as Kano, where thousands of children and adults are seen daily on major roads and public spaces.
A former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has called on authorities in Kano State and other parts of northern Nigeria to demonstrate strong political will in tackling the menace of street begging, popularly known as ‘Almajiri’ or ‘Almajiranci’ in the northern part of the country.
Ahmad said meaningful progress could only be achieved if governments stopped abandoning vulnerable people to their fate and took full responsibility for protecting children and other at-risk groups.
The former presidential aide made the call in a post shared on his verified (formerly Twitter) handle, where he criticised what he described as the continued neglect of vulnerable citizens by relevant authorities.
According to him, leaving children entirely in the care of parents or guardians who are either unable or unwilling to safeguard their welfare has worsened the problem of street begging across major northern cities.
“The authorities cannot continue to abandon vulnerable people to their fate nor leave children entirely in the care of parents and guardians who are unable or unwilling to protect their welfare,” Ahmad wrote.
Ahmad stressed that any genuine attempt to reduce street begging must begin with decisive action to uproot the practice from public spaces.
He noted that this step should then be followed by the proper implementation of social and welfare interventions aimed at rehabilitation and long-term support for those affected.
“For a start, street begging must be decisively uprooted, followed by the implementation of the right social and welfare intervention,” he said.
The former Buhari aide also warned against half-hearted measures driven by fear of political consequences, insisting that authorities must act firmly and consistently.
According to him, efforts to address street begging would only succeed if carried out without fear of backlash or political pressure.
“To significantly reduce begging on the streets of Kano and parts of the North, there must be a deliberate and strong political will,” Ahmad added, stressing that interventions must be enforced “firmly, consistently and without fear of political backlash or consequences.”
the street begging remains a persistent social challenge in many northern states, particularly in urban centres such as Kano, where thousands of children and adults are seen daily on major roads and public spaces.
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