The Kano State government says it has identified 251, 893 Almajiris (street urchins) from the eight Metropolitan Local Government areas to be repatriated back to their respective states of origin.

The Commissioner for Local Government Alhaji Murtala Sule-Garo disclosed this on Sunday while presenting reports of different committees set up by the state government to tackle the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said out of the identified number of Almajiris, 79,411 are indigenes of the state, while 178, 472 are non-indigenes.

Sule-Garo said that from the Metropolitan local government areas there are 1,452 Almajiris who are willingly ready to be taken to their various states of origin.

In his remarks, the State Deputy Governor, Nasiru Gawuna and chairman State Taskforce Committee on COVID-19 expressed concern over attitude of some people who intentionally create fears among the citizens by reporting things that did not happen.

“One of the Media just reported that Kano Peoples are trooping to the State Isolation center at Kwanar Dawaki for them to be tested while the same medium reported that his Committee Chairman, a renowned Medical doctor tested positive which is highly lie”.

Governor Ganduje said Kano had taken three measures to fight the Pandemic, which included proactive, preventive and indeed Isolation.

He said by locking down Kano State, most activities are stopped to give health personnel chance to find out those that have the diseases to be tested and identify contacts of positive ones.

“You can see how today in Kano the pandemic multiplied from one to 37 today.This is serious case that calls for serious measures with the establishment of three Isolation centres at Dawakin Kudu with 70 beds, Muhammadu Buhari hospital with 100 beds and the Sani Abacha centre with 500 centres.”

Governor Ganduje said that as they are advocating for Social Distancing, they realized that the presence of Almajiris is causing serious challenges, so far over 2,000 are being taken to their states of origin.

“We have finished all the necessary arrangements to take those Almajiris back to their states and for those who are Kano Indigenes will be taken to the new Almajiris Center and for any Parent who resisted the moves will be taken to Court,” he said.