From sacred education to street exploitation: the Almajiri Crisis in Nigeria as a nexus of public health failures, legal paralysis, and global security risks.

Abstract

The Almajiri system, historically rooted in Northern Nigeria's precolonial Islamic scholarship, has devolved into a complex humanitarian crisis. Once a revered educational tradition, the system is now associated with street begging, child neglect, disease vulnerability, and radicalization risks. This paper critically examines the historical evolution and current realities of the Almajiri system, highlighting how colonial disruption, post-colonial policy failures, and socio-economic inequalities have transformed it into a breeding ground for child vulnerability. The analysis reveals a range of adverse health outcomes, including malnutrition, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and untreated mental health conditions. The paper also underscores the system's link to broader legal and security concerns, including violations of child rights, susceptibility to recruitment by extremist groups, and potential global health risks such as antimicrobial resistance. Despite numerous reform efforts, entrenched cultural norms, governance deficits, and poor implementation continue to hinder sustainable solutions. Addressing the Almajiri crisis requires culturally sensitive reforms rooted in historical understanding, public health imperatives, legal accountability, and multisectoral collaboration. Without urgent and sustained intervention, the Almajiri system will remain a major barrier to national development and global health security.