The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) issued this urgent call after conducting an in-depth investigation across seven Northern states. The group highlighted how the Almajiri practice—where young boys, often from impoverished backgrounds, are sent to Islamic schools but end up as street beggars without proper education or family support—fuels Nigeria’s ongoing struggles with banditry, extremism, and organized violence.
Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the group’s Executive Director, described a disturbing cycle of societal neglect. “Nigeria isn’t just battling crime or terrorism,” he stated. “We’re seeing the fallout of a society that has turned its back on its own children. The Almajiri system, as it stands, isn’t just a failed policy—it’s a symptom of a broken society.”
PeacePro’s findings revealed a troubling trend: child abandonment, often defended as a cultural or religious practice, has left millions of young people without education, social support, or opportunities, making them easy targets for criminal and extremist groups.
Hamzat stressed that the crisis stems from multiple failures—families shirking responsibility, communities treating neglect as tradition, religious institutions prioritizing numbers over welfare, and governments failing to uphold child protection and education laws. “When every layer of society fails at once, instability isn’t an accident—it’s guaranteed,” he said.
The group cautioned that without immediate action, the growing number of marginalized, desperate youths could trigger uncontrollable violence. “If this system continues, Nigeria won’t be the only casualty,” Hamzat warned. “The sheer volume of neglected, uneducated youth could ignite chaos across West Africa.”
PeacePro dismissed arguments that the Almajiri system is an untouchable tradition, insisting that no culture is sacred if it systematically harms children. “A tradition that forces children into begging, denies them education, and strips them of dignity isn’t heritage—it’s a social disaster,” Hamzat asserted.
The organization clarified that its stance isn’t an attack on Islam, Northern culture, or religious education but a call for reform grounded in accountability and compassion. “This isn’t about erasing faith or culture,” Hamzat explained. “It’s about restoring their moral core. Religion without care for the vulnerable becomes a tool of harm.”
To tackle the crisis, PeacePro urged federal and state governments to treat the Almajiri issue as a national security priority. Proposed solutions include a five-year elimination plan with large-scale rehabilitation, vocational training for current Almajiri children, and ongoing engagement with religious and community leaders to implement sustainable reforms.
Hamzat ended with a stark reminder: “Nigeria’s insecurity isn’t a mystery. It’s the direct result of decades of normalized neglect. Until we stop abandoning our children, violence will only evolve—it won’t end.”
The statement adds to growing concerns over child welfare and security in Nigeria, where Almajiri children make up a significant portion of out-of-school youth. PeacePro reaffirmed its commitment to advocacy, policy reform, and community initiatives to break the cycle of neglect fueling instability.
The warning has reignited demands for government action, with critics noting that past attempts to reform the system have failed due to weak enforcement and cultural resistance.
