Top Northern Cleric Blows Hot, Says No One Can Ban Almajiri

Prominent northern Islamic cleric, Dahiru Usman Bauchi, has said proscription of Almajiri system  by northern governors would amount to violation of the rights of those who are its proponents.

Bauchi made his position known In an interview with The Sun.

The Almajiri system is a process where children leave their homes in search of Islamic knowledge.

The cleric said the country’s constitution guarantees every citizen the rights to movement and practice of their religions.

He said they have the right to go to anywhere to practice their religion, adding that the idea of rounding up people (Almajiri) to moved them back to their state of origin is unacceptable.

“The constitution of the country gives us the freedom to practice our religion the way we want it. Our biggest religion is the Quran. Since the Quran has given them (those in power) laws that they have refused to abide with, what right do they have to give instructions or law to the Quran? Based on that, we will not accept the ban on Almajiri by northern governors,” he said.

“Our right to freedom of worship is being violated. We will not accept violation of our right to go to any part of the country to practice our religion.

“The reason is because there is a government and the government operates by a constitution. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives every citizen the right to movement, the right to practice their religion. These students (Almajirai) are Nigerians.

Also Read: Almajiri Is The Worst Form Of Child Abuse – Gov. Sani Bello

“Packing our people like animals and moving them from one place to the other, we will not accept. As Nigerians, we have a right to practice our religion. The Quran is the basis of our religion. We will not accept any violation of our rights.

“We will not accept the ban on Almajiri. We have the right to go anywhere in the world to read the Quran.”

Bauchi said the governors did not consult him before they banned the system.

The governors had taken a firm stance on almajiri during the COVID-19 pandemic.