Northern Almajiris: Ganduje warns governors to stop making noise

Kano governor,  Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said that the movement of Almajiris from the State to other parts of the country has been politicized by some governors in the north.

Ganduje said some governors alledged that Almajiris sent back from Kano to their States have coronavirus. 

According to him,  he deported the Almajiris as a way to curb the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, saying that it was unfortunate the exercise  was being politicised.

“Some state governors have claimed those deported from Kano tested positive for the virus.”

While briefing journalists on Sunday in Kano, Ganduje revealed that some of the almajiris brought to Kano from other States  during the exercise also tested positive for COVID-19.

Ganduje warned his colleagues in the North to stop making noise about the movement of the Almajiris.

He said, “We agreed at the Northern Governors Forum that all almajiris should be moved to their states of origin. That is why we are sending, in good faith and procedures, all almajiris that are not from Kano State to their respective states of origin.

“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.

“But we are not making politics out of it. Because 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.

“People should also understand that these children were not infected in the process of transporting them to their respective states.

“So, noise making is not fit as a way forward. All we are doing is simply to comply with the Northern Governors’ Forum decision that all almajiris in our states should be taken back to their respective states, simple.”