The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has decried the rate at which the Almajiri system has deteriorated into an alarming cycle of child neglect and exploitation.
Programme Communications Officer, Furera Isiaka, in a press statement issued in commemoration of the just concluded 2025 Children’s Day, said instead of receiving education and care, Almajiri children, some as young as 3- year- old, are forced into the streets to beg, hawk, and engage in menial labour, exposing them to abuse, trafficking, and unimaginable hardships.
He called for immediate and decisive action to confront the dire realities facing millions of Nigerian children.
He said while some celebrate in joy, countless others especially in Northern Nigeria suffer from chronic malnutrition, forced street begging, and systemic neglect that robs them of education, dignity, and hope.
“The time for mere rhetoric has passed. The federal, state, and local governments, alongside traditional and religious leaders, must rise to the occasion and implement lasting solutions.
On malnutrition, he said despite Nigeria’s commitments, malnutrition remains a national crisis, affecting over 11 million under-five children.
“According to UNICEF, 37% of Nigerian children are stunted, while 18% are wasted, locking them into a vicious cycle of poor health, poverty, and reduced opportunities.