Northern traditional rulers reject repatriation of almajirai

The Northern Traditional Leaders Council has urged the Federal Government to stop the repatriation of almajirai from one state to another.

The council warned that the repatriation would escalate the spread of the COVID-19, especially in the northern region.

The chairman of the council, Alhaji Samila Mohammed, made the call at an online emergency meeting between the Federal Government and the council on PHC Wednesday in Abuja.

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“We’re concerned over the repatriation of the almajirai to various states without testing them for coronavirus. Such actions would escalate the spread of the virus,” he said.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, had said that the repatriation of the almajirai from one state to the other was against the presidential order banning inter-state travels.

The Emir of Jiwa, Alhaji Idris Musa, urged the Federal Government to “do something about the way people who died of the virus are buried”, stressing that “most of the people who participate in burying the corpses do not wear any personal protective equipment.”

He stressed the need for sustained enlightenment to ensure that victims of COVID-19 were not stigmatized or discriminated against.

The Mai Kaltungo, Saleh Muhammed, urged the government to establish a COVID-19 testing centre in Gombe State.

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, asked the traditional leaders to help ensure compliance with the government’s directive on interstate movements as it constitutes a risk to Nigerians.

Executive Director,  National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, said: “We want to tap into the experience of the traditional leaders because they were in the frontline in the fight against the Wild Polio Virus . We want to stop the virus from spreading further into our communities.”