From Bowls to Arms: The Almajiri School System and the Challenges of Internal Security in Niger State, Nigeria.

Background:  insecurity has become a watchword in humanities; social sciences and a societal problem that has led to the destruction of human lives and acquired property worth millions of dollars. Historically, periarticular in pre-colonial Nigeria, practical modalities were put in place and monitored the welfare of the Almajiri children. Unfortunately, this beautiful system was later shortened by western colonialism. The paper x-rayed the nexus between Almajiri and internal security in Niger State, Nigeria. Objective: The paper x-rayed the nexus between Almajiri and internal security in Niger State, Nigeria. Method: The paper used a survey design in which data were gathered through personal observations by the authors and also the use of an in-depth interview of selected respondents. Findings: The study discovered that the cultural practice in which parents especially from the countryside send their children at a very tender age to the cities under the Almajiri school system paves way for the concentration of a large youth cohort with a strong sense of identity in those cities, in which factors such as unfavorable economic, poverty and political atmosphere combines with the prevailing cultural resistance against western education and value system to facilitate the process of radicalizing these youths. Implications/Originality/Value: the study argued that it is important for the Nigerian state to come up with a policy for compulsory and free primary and secondary school for all the Almajirai and not in separate schools as it is at present being practiced but in an inclusive one.