Why Reps want federal government to stop repatriation of Almajiri kids by northern governors
The House of Representatives, at its plenary on Tuesday, waded into the controversy trailing the repatriation of Almajiri kids to their states of origin and asked the Federal Government to halt the move which has been causing ripples among northern governors.
A law lecturer at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Remigius Akinbinu, told Neusroom that the repatriation is ‘absolutely illegal’ and a breach of their fundamental human rights. He warned that it may set bad precedents.
Kano State started the repatriation in March by sending more than 1,500 Almajiri kids to their states and countries of origin, other states soon took similar actions. In the past one month, hundreds of kids have been exchanged among the states, but the repatriation took a dramatic turn last week when the states started raising alarm that many of the kids repatriated from Kano tested positive for COVID-19 and accused the Kano State government of dumping them in their states.
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje swiftly reacted to the claims by his colleagues and accused them of ‘making noise’ about it and advised them to channel their energies into taking care of the kids instead of seeking political gains.
“The way we are sending back almajiris to their states of origin, we are also receiving almajiris from other states who are Kano indigenes. But the fact that we are not making noise about it does not mean they are all healthy without COVID-19 infections. We all believe that what they need most now is not noise making or publicity. What they need at this critical point in time is care,” Gandiuje said at a media briefing on Sunday.
While debating on a motion sponsored by Aishatu Dukku of Dukku and Nafada constituency in Gombe state, the House of Representatives argued that such an action is against the fundamental rights of the children.
The lawmakers who said the governors’ action is subjecting the children to “untold hardship”, added that they are disturbed that 40 percent of the Almajiris who were repatriated to Jigawa State from Kano State tested positive to the virus
“The nature and manner which they are being transported is dehumanising and has brought them pain and untold hardship,” they said.
They also said in the course of transporting them to their home states, the governors have breached the inter-state ban being enforced by the federal government.
The house, therefore, asked the federal government to stop the state governors from relocating almajiri kids to their home states but to provide for their basic education instead.
The lawmakers also asked the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management to include the children among the beneficiaries of the palliatives being distributed to cushion the effects of the pandemic.
Akinbinu who supported the decision of the House said only the Federal Government is empowered by the constitution to repatriate foreign citizens.
“The House is duty bound to put a stop to such illegality. You cannot repatriate a Nigerian citizen from any state except in special circumstances i.e. court order or arrest to answer to crimes committed. Even in the case of a foreigner, only the FG can exercise such power.”
He also warned that the ongoing repatriation will set bad precedents as governors in the southern part of the country may also be forced to take similar action.
It’s already setting bad precedents, I’m sure Southern governors are also deporting the almajiris flocking their states,” the law lecturer said.
