SERAP Threatens To Sue Kano Government Over Plan To Deport Almajiris
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has threatened to sue the Kano State government if it goes ahead with its deportation plan of 419 almajiris from the state to Katsina State.
SERAP said it was illegal and unconstitutional for the Kano government under Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to deport the poor Nigerians.
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According to the non governmental organisation in a series of tweets on its handle on Wednesday, the deportation of 419 Almajiris from Kano to Katsina state “flagrantly violate their rights under Nigerian constitution 1999 (as amended) like to dignity of their persons (s. 34), personal liberty (s. 35), freedom of movement (s. 41), and residency in any part of Nigeria (s. 43).”
The tweet reads briefly “The deportation is also a violation of section 15 of the Constitution, which imposes a duty on states to promote national integration.
“Targeting Almajiris also violates section 42 of the Constitution, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of place of birth/state of origin.
“It’s also a violation of Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, prohibiting discriminatory treatment on the ground of “social origin, fortune, birth or other status”
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The Kano government had on April 20th begun the deportation of Almajiris who are non-indigenes of the state, following the increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, which had reached 36.
Director General, Media and Communications, Kano State Government, Salihu Yakasai, said the deportation was in order to mitigate the risk of exposing them to coronavirus and the attendant effect of the lockdown in the state.
