Nigerian officials have called the increasing number of children living on the streets a “ticking time bomb,” and they are trying to defuse it. Sharia police, known as Hisbah, have been conducting late-night operations to round up homeless children and transport them to shelters for rehabilitation in Kano, the country’s largest northern city.
The crisis is growing as Nigeria faces soaring inflation and a rising divorce rate. It has resulted in nearly 2 million children being out of school and left to fend for themselves. Authorities said many children come from neighboring states, which exacerbates the problem.
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Abba Sufi, the director-general of Hisbah, described children living on the streets as a “huge social and security threat.” Sufi cites their potential recruitment into criminal activity.
Kano’s governor formed a special committee in November 2024 to address what the government calls “street children.”
Hisbah, the region’s religious police force operating under Sharia law, has full authority to remove children from public areas such as street corners, motor parks and markets.
Boys are primarily targeted, as they are often found begging or attempting to sell goods to survive. Since the operation began, more than 5,000 children have been relocated to a rehabilitative camp.
The government is working to identify each child and provide counseling before they reenter society. Children can also attend school or join trade programs to gain skills and secure a better future.
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This is not the first attempt to address the issue –– in 2017, a similar initiative was launched. However, it ultimately failed, with many children being returned to their families or back onto the streets after the rehabilitation camp was cleared.
[Karah Rucker]
NIGERIAN OFFICIALS CONSIDER KIDS LIVING IN ITS LARGEST CITY…A TICKING TIME BOMB THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO DEFUSE WITH SUPPORT AND CARE.
SHARIA POLICE ARE USING THE HOURS OF THE NIGHT TO ROUND UP THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN LIVING ON THE STREETS OF KANO.
AS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS WITHIN THE REGIONAL CAPITAL GROWS, AUTHORITIES SAY NEARLY TWO MILLION KIDS REMAIN OUT OF SCHOOL AND LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES.
THE GOVERNMENT LINKS THIS GROWING ISSUE TO NIGERIA’S RISING DIVORCE RATE AND SOARING INFLATION, PLAYING A ROLE IN THE INCREASE OF CHILDREN LIVING ON THE STREET.
A SURVEY ON NIGERIA’S POVERTY SHOWS MANY OF THESE KIDS COME FROM NEARBY STATES, ADDING TO THE PRESSURE ON THE CITY.
“Their continued living on the streets is a huge social and security threat because they are potential criminal recruits.”
JUST MONTHS AGO, KANO’S GOVERNOR FORMED A COMMITTEE TO REMOVE WHAT THEY CALL ‘STREET CHILDREN.’
HISBAH, THE REGION’S POLICE FORCE OPERATES UNDER THE ISLAMIC VIRTUE KNOWN AS ‘SHARIA LAW’–FOCUSED ON REMOVING ANY WRONGDOING
THE GOVERNMENT GIVES THEM FULL AUTHORITY TO FIND KIDS ON STREET CORNERS, MOTOR PARKS OR LOCAL SHOPPING MARKETS AND TAKE THEM TO A SHELTER.
OFFICIALS SAY BOYS ARE MAINLY TARGETED…TYPICALLY SEEN IN THE CITY BEGGING OR LOOKING FOR ITEMS TO SELL.
TO DATE, MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND KIDS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED TO A REHABILITATIVE CAMP.
THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THEY ARE IDENTIFYING EACH CHILD AND PROVIDING COUNSELING BEFORE RELEASING THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY.
KIDS ARE ALSO BEING OFFERED TO GO TO SCHOOL OR JOIN A TRADE PROGRAM.
A SIMILAR STRATEGY WAS UNVEILED IN 2017 BUT OFFICIALS CLEARED THE CAMP AFTER A FAILURE. THOUSANDS WERE RETURNED TO FAMILIES AND OTHERS, BACK TO THE STREETS.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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