The National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) says it has developed intervention model in partnership with sister agencies to stop the abuse of older persons in Nigeria. 

Emem Omokaro, Director-General of the agency, made the disclosure in an exclusive interview on Monday in Abuja.

Mrs Omokaro was reacting to questions on abuse of older people, especially in rural communities.

She said NSCC was totally against any abuse of these categories of people in the society.

She said the agency was partnering with sister agencies like National Human Right Commission, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, National Orientation Agency, NAPTIP and others to put a stop to such acts.

“Let me give you an example of one 87-year-old woman, Deborah Ogudu from Nguo Town Hill in Enugu State, who was beaten up by her 56-year-old daughter.

“We stepped into the matter immediately we got information since we already had a very strong partnership with other sister agencies.”

The NSCC boss explained that the establishment of the intervention model and the partnerships was to prevent, remedy, redress and to prosecute matters related to acts against the older citizens.

“We don’t have mandatory power to prosecute and we don’t have the mandatory power to represent in court if a case goes to court and we don’t have the statewide physical structures but what we have is formidable partnership.

“So we enter into partnership with National Human Right Commission, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, National Orientation Agency, and NAPTIP and other stakeholders.

“So, through this, we now developed a Community-Based Intervention where we deploy toll free call lines of NAPTIP for people to reach out to us whenever they have such issue to report.”

Mrs Omokaro advised the public to call NAPTIP toll free lines (0800CALLNAPTIP, 08002255627874, SHORT CODE: 627) that are now in 26 states of the country to report any abuse related cases to older persons.

According to her, NAPTIP has prosecutorial powers to arrest and rescue victims of such abuse.

“When the video of the woman came to our attention, we circulated it immediately through our stakeholders, and I personally called the NAPTIP D-G and before long, they arrived the scene and it was a major intervention.

“I don’t think that community will ever touch an old woman again. This shows you that through our strong partnership, we are able to do things, and NAPTIP is very committed,” she said.

She said the intervention approach had been tested and proven effective for the stoppage of older citizens anywhere across the country.

Speaking on dementia challenge, the NSCC boss said she was also working in partnership with the Traditional Rulers Council, Nigeria Inter-religious Council among others to curb the menace of abuse of older people. 

“Of course to drive that one also, I  visited the Sultan of Sokoto, we had facilitated our meeting with Nigeria Interreligious Council to involve the spiritual fathers for high level of advocacy to address issues of  demential which is taken for witchcraft.

“Our intervention model for stopping abuse of older people has been tested and it is very effective and we will continue to educate, especially on the issue of demential.

“And the same time, we are also working in partnership with these bodies, integrating their influence over the abuse of people.”

(NAN)