Niger outlaws street begging

…Sets up mobile courts to try offenders  

The Niger state government has banned all forms of street begging, including children from Islamic schools otherwise known as almajiri and has constituted mobile courts to prosecute offenders.

The state Commissioner of Information, Mohammed Sani Idris, stated this Thursday in a press conference in Minna.

He explained that prohibiting the almajiri kids from begging on the streets does not stop the almajiri system of education in the state.  


He said parents of kids caught on the streets begging will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

According to him, “Following the ban of street begging in other northern states, Niger state is gradually becoming a dumping ground for beggars, which would affect the security infrastructure in the state. We have taken this measure to protect the state from insecurity.” 

He said government had become aware of the influx of beggars from other states insisting that Niger cannot be a dumping ground

“Government is putting up strong mechanisms to ensure the enforcement of the law against street begging is done. Mobile courts will be set up to try violators. Adults would be prosecuted while the children will be taken to their parents who will be prosecuted, whether they are in the state or not.”

“The ban on street begging does not mean the ban of the almajiri system; it would further strengthen and protect the almajiri system,” he said.

Leave a Reply