By AbdulRaheem Aodu
Kaduna
The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), has expressed worry over the growing number of almajirai children wandering around Northern cities, just as it backs the federal government’s anti-corruption war.
According to the apex Islamic organisation, fighting corruption is in line with the Islamic injunctions of Amr bil ma’aruf wan nahy anil munkar, which is recommending the doing of good and frowning at evil acts.
The group’s position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its two-day annual Central Council, pre-Ramadan meeting and national conference, yesterday in Kaduna.
The communiqué signed by the Chairman, Local Organising Committee (LOC), and Secretary-General of JNI, Professor Shehu W. Junaidu, and Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, respectively, expressed concern over the increase in pupils wandering in the Northern city centres, in the name of Almajiri Education System.
The communiqué reads in part: “More worrisome is the manner parents and tutors of the pupils manhandled the guardianship of the pupils and the denial of the use of Hijab and land for construction of mosques by some state governments of the federation.
“The Central Council condemned in the strongest terms the action of NYSC to conduct this year’s orientation exercise in the month of Ramadan. This is because the prospective corps members would be at disadvantage to their faith and other camp activities. The Council therefore, calls for the respect of the earlier agreement in the future.
“In the same vein, the Council calls on the authority of the Nigerian Army to postpone the intended recruitment exercise until after Ramadan to avoid putting prospective candidates at disadvantage.
“The Council called on Muslim leaders, scholars and the entire Ummah to uphold the Islamic teaching of saying the truth and acting upon on it at all times, and urges all Muslims across the nation to intensify du’a (prayers) for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The Central Council further called on the federal government to take all necessary steps to encourage the IDPs that are interested and capable to go back and get rehabilitated in their respective villages and towns, and to come up with a more humane and functional approach to cater for and rehabilitate the minors, widows and orphans who have lost members of their families.”
The Council called on all well-to-do Muslims and Muslim organisations to invest heavily in the establishment of universities and other tertiary institutions, saying “it will go a long way in building skilled manpower required for development of the Ummah and propagation of Dawah (Islamic message).
