Why Almajiri Children Beg On Northern Nigeria’s Streets – Sultan

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has identified poverty and a lack of basic support as the major reasons many Almajiri children in Northern Nigeria roam the streets begging for food rather than receiving proper education.

Sultan stated this while speaking on Saturday in Gombe, at the 2026 Biennial Lecture, Dinner and Awards of the Barewa Old Boys’ Association (BOBA), themed “The Scourge of Out-of-School Children in Nigeria and the Implications for National Security and National Development.”

The Sultan said the children were not necessarily unwilling to acquire knowledge but were forced into street begging by circumstances that denied them the necessities and support needed to attend school.

“Poverty is the major factor forcing these children to roam the streets begging. They want to go to school, but they lack the resources to support them. Islam does not encourage begging, and we must fight against it,” he said.

The Sultan, who chaired the occasion, described the increasing number of out-of-school children as a serious threat to national security and development, calling on governments, Islamic scholars and other stakeholders to work together to address the challenge.

He stressed that education was fundamental to Islamic teachings and that children from wealthy and low-income families deserved equal opportunities to acquire knowledge.

He also cautioned against narratives suggesting that Muslims were opposed to Western education, insisting that both Islamic and Western education were important.

The Sultan urged governments at all levels to provide disadvantaged children with access to education and vocational training, enabling them to become productive members of society.

He commended the Gombe State Government for establishing an Almajiri school that combines Qur’anic education with Western education and vocational skills training.

In his welcome address, the National President of BOBA, General Alwali Jauji Kazir (rtd.), warned that Nigeria could not afford to treat the growing number of out-of-school children as merely an educational challenge.

He described the crisis as a developmental, economic, social and national security concern, noting that denying children access to education deprives them of opportunities to develop their abilities and contribute meaningfully to society.

However, Kazir cautioned against regarding out-of-school children themselves as security threats, stressing that they were vulnerable children whose circumstances required attention and intervention.

He said prolonged exclusion from education, particularly when compounded by poverty, exploitation, insecurity and lack of opportunities, could expose children to criminality and recruitment by violent groups.

According to him, addressing insecurity requires more than military and law enforcement measures, as sustainable security also depends on investments in education, economic opportunities, social inclusion and effective governance.

The BOBA president called on governments to establish reliable data on the number and locations of out-of-school children, expand access to basic education, improve school safety and provide adequate learning facilities, qualified teachers and educational materials.

He noted that BOBA would help address the challenge through mentorship, scholarships, advocacy, and partnerships aimed at expanding educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Also speaking, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya identified poverty, insecurity, illiteracy and inadequate infrastructure as major challenges undermining education in Northern Nigeria.

He called for collective action by governments and other stakeholders to address the crisis, while highlighting his administration’s educational interventions, which he said had begun to yield positive results.