It’s apartheid to classify Nigerians as indigenes, non-indigenes – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the classification of Nigerians as ‘indigenes’ and ‘non-indigenes’ is a form of apartheid and contradicts the citizens’ aspirations towards equality and unity.

Prof. Osinbajo said this Thursday at the National Social Cohesion Dialogue organised by the Africa Polling Institute, which was held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

He said the country’s constitution gives all Nigerians the right to live and work in part of Nigeria without molestation.

The Vice President said: “In many quarters, there are feelings of alienation and exclusion. To this point, we must recognize the ways in which we perpetuate institutional discrimination and cause people to see their identities as weapons for procuring opportunity, often at the expense of others.

“We see this whenever Nigerians are denied opportunity on the basis of their state of origin or because they are ‘non- indigenes’. We see it when a Nigerian that has been resident in a state all his life is suddenly excluded from admission into an educational institution or an employment opportunity because he is not considered an ‘indigene’.

According to him, “All Nigerians have a constitutional right to live, work and enjoy their lives in peace and safety under the law. The classification of Nigerians as ‘indigenes’ and ‘non-indigenes’ is a form of apartheid and contradicts our declared aspirations towards equality and unity.

“Our Constitution enjoins Government to ‘secure full residence rights for every citizen in all parts of the Federation’ and this is imperative that we must commit to across all tiers of Government. All that should matter in evaluating ourselves is where we live and fulfil our civic obligations.”

Osinbajo said even as the Federal Government continued to ramp up efforts in tackling the nation’s security challenges, a united citizenry would further help, especially in local policing strategies.

The Vice President said criminal elements should not be generalized as a representation of ethnic or religious groups.

“We must ensure that we see it for what it is – a criminal act which must be punished according to the law and not an ethnic conflict. Criminals must not be seen or treated as anything other than criminals and certainly not as representatives of any ethnic or religious group.

“We will not defeat crime by dividing ourselves. We can only overcome it by uniting against our common enemy – the criminals who terrorize our people,” he added.