Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has called on the National Assembly to permanently outlaw the Almajiri system, arguing that the practice remains a major driver of Northern Nigeria’s growing out-of-school children crisis and worsening insecurity.

Sule made the call in Abuja during the Summit on Enhancing Human Capital Development in Northern Nigeria, where he urged lawmakers and Northern leaders to pursue legislative measures that would end the system and replace it with formal education and skills acquisition programmes.

According to the governor, Nigeria is facing a severe education crisis, with an estimated 18.3 million children currently out of school, while the Almajiri system remains “the single largest structural contributor” to the challenge in Northern Nigeria.

Citing recent figures, Sule said Almajiri children account for between 72 and 81 per cent of Nigeria’s total out-of-school population, with the overwhelming majority residing in the northern region.

The governor warned that the consequences of the system extend beyond education, linking it directly to the region’s security challenges.

He said many of the minors recruited into banditry and other criminal activities are products of the Almajiri system, stressing that urgent action is needed to break the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and insecurity.

Sule noted that Nasarawa State accounts for about 430,000 out-of-school children, adding that the challenge cannot be tackled by government alone but requires the collective efforts of Northern intellectuals, political leaders and traditional institutions.

He recalled the mass repatriation of Almajiri children undertaken by Nasarawa and Kaduna States in 2020, saying that while the intervention was necessary, it failed to provide a lasting solution to the problem.

According to the governor, enforcement measures must be complemented with practical alternatives that guarantee access to education and opportunities for young people.

Sule therefore proposed a total ban on the Almajiri system and its replacement with compulsory formal education and vocational training programmes designed to equip children with relevant skills.

He urged Northern leaders and stakeholders to translate the summit’s deliberations into actionable draft bills for consideration by the National Assembly, saying only comprehensive legislative action would provide a sustainable solution to the longstanding challenge.