Over 23,000 People Still Missing in Nigeria, Says Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has revealed that more than 23,659 people remain missing across Nigeria, leaving 13,595 families, mostly women, trapped in pain, uncertainty, and hardship.

Mr. Ishaku Luka, Protection of Family Links Team Leader of the ICRC in Damaturu, disclosed this on Sunday during activities to mark the International Day of the Disappeared.

According to Luka, 68% of those searching for answers are women, while 59% of the missing persons were minors at the time they disappeared. Yobe State alone accounts for 2,500 cases, most of them from Gujba Local Government Area.

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“Behind every missing person is a family living in anguish, legal struggles, and economic difficulty. These families deserve acknowledgement, care, and support,” Luka stressed.

He noted that disappearances are among the most devastating consequences of armed conflict, disasters, and migration, urging all parties to conflicts, authorities, and communities to take greater responsibility in preventing them.

On ICRC’s interventions, Luka revealed that as of June 30, the organisation had documented 451 new cases in Nigeria, successfully closed 515 cases, and reunited seven separated children with their families.

“Globally, every day we reunite 20 people with their families, clarify the fate of two missing persons every hour, and help four separated individuals contact their loved ones every minute,” he added.

Mr. Rashid Hassan, Head of the ICRC Sub-delegation in Damaturu, emphasised that families of the missing should never be left to suffer in silence.

“Time does not heal. Acknowledgement, answers, and respect do. Families must know their loved ones are not forgotten and their demands are heard,” Hassan said.

He explained that in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), the ICRC has been providing mental health and psychosocial support, livelihood assistance, and orientation programs for affected families in Borno and Adamawa States.

Hassan further called on authorities to fulfill their obligations by clarifying the fate of missing persons, protecting the dignity of the dead, and addressing the economic and social needs of the families.

He also urged society to show solidarity, avoid stigmatisation, and support the resilience of families still searching for answers.

Globally, Hassan revealed that more than 94,000 people were newly registered as missing in 2024, bringing the total to 284,400, though he stressed the real figure is much higher.

“As we mark this day, we renew our commitment to advocate for the rights of the disappeared and push for continuous efforts in the search for answers. No family should live with the torment of uncertainty,” he concluded.