The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Africa says 24,000 individuals in Nigeria have been registered as missing, with over half being children at the time of their disappearance.
The ICRC stated that in the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, volunteers from the Nigerian Red Cross have been working to deliver Red Cross messages to many families who have lost contact with their loved ones due to armed conflict.
ICRC’s regional director for Africa, Patrick Youssef, disclosed this figure in a statement issued to mark the ‘International Day of the Disappeared’, observed on August 30. The day raises awareness of the plight of the missing, honors their memories and the emotional distress of families, and focuses attention on the need to help prevent and respond to the issue of missing persons.
He noted that across Africa, 71,000 individuals were registered as missing as of June 2024, marking a significant 75% increase from the previous recorded number in 2019.
Youssef explained that prolonged armed conflicts, devastating natural disasters, and treacherous migration journeys have all contributed to the alarming rise in missing persons cases.
Youssef emphasised that behind every missing person, there are countless others suffering from the anguish and uncertainty, describing it as a humanitarian tragedy with far-reaching societal consequences.
The regional director stated that under international humanitarian law, state authorities have the primary responsibility to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing persons.
“In Nigeria, the ICRC registered around 24,000 people as missing, which likely only represents a fraction of the total number. More than half of these cases involved children at the time they disappeared.
”In the north-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, for example, volunteers from the Nigerian Red Cross have been working to deliver Red Cross Messages to many families who have lost contact with their loved ones due to the armed conflict. The ICRC provides the families with mental health support, legal advice, and, in some cases, financial assistance”, he further said.
