The Nasarawa State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has raised the alarm over the resurgence of Almajiri, Scavengers and Yahoo Boys across the state.
The NUJ said it was particularly worried by the increasing number of tree urchins, otherwise known as Almajiri, on the streets of Lafia, the state capital, and other urban centres in the state.
A communique issued by the Council Secretary, Sunday John, after the union’s state congress meeting, chaired by the Chairman, Salihu Alkali, on Monday, expressed worry over the increasing number of Yahoo Boys in the state, calling on the state government and security agencies in the state to tackle the trend
The communique appealed to government and stakeholders to take advantage of the Almajiri Schools built across the state by former president Goodluck Jonathan and move the Almajiris off the streets into the schools.
While calling on Governor Abdullahi Sule to sustain his infrastructural development across the state, particularly at the Karu corridor, the communique implored the state government to prevail on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to find a lasting solution to the epileptic power supply in Lafia and its environs.
The Journalists advised politicians to call their social media handlers to order, just as it cautioned the youth against the use of social media to cause division among the people of diverse interests in the state and avoid overheating the polity.
“On the state of the state, the Congress observed with dismay the resurgence of Almajiri and the activities of Yahoo boys and scavengers and urged members to prioritise human angle stories to prompt government and security agencies to tackle the aforementioned trends in the State.
“The Congress appealed to the government and other stakeholders to ensure that the Almajiri School built by the former President, Goodluck Jonathan are used to take those begging in the streets of Lafia and other Local Government Areas of the state.
“Council in session, advised politicians to call their social media handlers and urged the youths to desist from using social media to cause division among the people if drivers interest in the state and to avoid overheating the polity.
“While appreciating Engineer Abdullahi Sule for being a media-friendly governor, the Congress called on him to do more in supporting the activities of journalists and urged him to sustain the infrastructural development being witnessed across the state, particularly in the Karu corridor.
“Congress in session also implored the Nasarawa State government to prevail on AEDC to find lasting solutions to the epileptic power supply in Lafia and its environs”, the communique added.
