Residents will be treated as citizens and indigenes in Kaduna – El-Rufai

Governor Nasir El-Rufai has taken a huge step in making non-indigenous residents of Kaduna more comfortable in the state.

The Kaduna governor announced at the State House that all residents of the state would be accorded rights as citizens and indigenes of the state.

At the inauguration of the Kaduna State Residents Registration Agency Governing Board and the Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission on Thursday, El-Rufai announced the abolishment of the ‘Indigene/Settler dichotomy’.

“In Kaduna State, the Indigene/Settler dichotomy has been abolished,” El-Rufai tweeted.

According to El-Rufai, the Kaduna State Residents Registration Agency will create a reliable database of all residents in the state, with a view to providing useful data for planning, security, social welfare, education, employment, financial services, housing, health and other services.

The registration will be headed by  Elizabeth Joshua Ndonah.

The announcement is the implementation of the recommendation of the peace and reconciliation committee.

Governor El-Rufai had early declared in August 2015 that there is no longer a difference between indigene and settler in Kaduna.

“Anybody residing in the state, irrespective of religion and tribes will automatically be entitled to anything in the state,” he said.