The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu says Almajiris are deliberately being dumped in Ondo State, adding that most of them cannot speak any language that the security officials can understand.
He made the comment on Monday, May 25, when he appeared on National Television Authority (NTA) morning programme to discuss COVID-19 and the security challenges.
Governor Akeredolu said that the Almajiris that were coming into the State are not those that were residing there, but had to move back North to engage in farming activities.
He said these ones were 16 years old(s) and below, and did not even know where they were going-to in Ondo State.
Governor Akeredolu disclosed that two of them tested positive for COVID-19, and were treated at the State’s Infectious Disease Center. He urged Nigerian governors to profile the Almajiris in their State so that it would be easier for one to know where to return them to.
He argued that sending the Almajiris back from Ondo State does not in any way infringe on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement. Governor Akeredolu noted that their movement across states is even in contravention of the Presidential directives.
His words, “The ones we are talking about now are the ones who do not know where they are going. I asked the Police to debrief these people to get to know them, the Police said they couldn’t understand them, that they [Almajiris] can’t speak any language.
“All we try to do is that if they are coming from a certain State, we drop them at the borders because there is nothing we can do. We asked them to go back because this is not fair to us.
“I believe that we are ready to be our brother’s keepers to assist, but when it is a deliberate thing… …and most of them are 16 years old or below … but these are people who don’t know where they are going.
“Would you bring them to the government house to come and stay? And a few instances we have had one or two of them test positive for COVID-19.
“These ones we had to take them to Infectious disease hospital in the state to ensure that they are treated before we asked them to go.
“Our brothers [other governors] must profile these people, know where they are from, and take them back to their states of origin. It will be better that way. You can call your friend in Kano, in katsina and say, I have so so so number of Almajiris that their homes you can know.”
