Group expresses shock over horrific burying alive of 70-year-old man in Benue
The National Senior Citizens Centre(NSCC) has condemned a recent incident in Ihwakar Kumekor Dam in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue, where a 70-year- old man was buried alive.
Periscope International recalls that the victim, late Baba Ihwakaa, was buried alive by some suspected youths in Mbatue Ward of the council Area for allegedly invoking the thunder and lightning that killed his son, daughter in-law, and grand child.
NSCC in a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Communications of the centre, Mr Omini Oden in Abuja, condemned the incident in very strong terms and called for measures to be put in place to avoid its reoccurrence.
The statement quoted Dr Emem Omokaro, the Director-General of the NSCC, as saying that the act was horrific, abominable, condemnable and the height of human right violation that must not be allowed to go unpunished.
The NSCC DG however lauded the Nigeria Police and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters, for the timely intervention, which saw the immediate arrest of the suspects.
Omokaro assured Nigerians that the centre would continue to defend the rights and privileges of older persons, in line with its mandate.
“The National Senior Citizens Centre Anti Elder Abuse Community Response Mechanism, is working in partnership with the National Human Rights Commission, the Legal Aids Council of Nigeria and NAPTIP.
“This is to stem the abuse and violence against older persons, as well as provide access to justice,” she said.
She appealed to the public, to utilise NAPTIP’s toll-free lines, to report cases of abuse or violence against older persons in Nigeria as follows:
07030000203, 080-CALLNAPTIP and for MTN 627 and *627#“ the statement added.