The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has raised concerns over the impact of 24,000 Nigerians reported missing by their families.
The organization warned that the crisis is disrupting communities and impeding social and economic progress.
The disclosure was made by the Head of Sub-Delegation, ICRC Maiduguri Field Office, Diana Japaridza, on Saturday while commemorating the International Day of the Disappeared in Maiduguri.
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Japaridza noted that by the end of 2024, over 284,000 people worldwide were registered as missing with the Family Links Network of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
She revealed that Nigeria alone had around 24,000 active cases of missing persons since 2014 when conflict escalated.
Speaking on the social impact, she said, “This number, ICRC’s highest caseload in Africa, likely represents only a fraction of the total number of persons missing in the country.
“More than half were children at the time they disappeared. It disrupts the fabric of communities, hinders reconciliation, and impedes social and economic progress.
“The weight of this issue often falls on the shoulders of the families, who tirelessly seek answers throughout their lifetimes.”
María Toscano, ICRC Protection of Family Links Team Leader, added that tracing the missing remains a challenge due to limited access to conflict-affected areas.
“We hope that today’s gathering helps authorities, communities and society-at-large acknowledge your plight,” she said, emphasizing the need for collective effort to support the families.
She also revealed that of the 16,000 missing cases recorded in the North-East, about 9,000 were in Borno State, with 71 percent occurring between 2014 and 2015.
“We have reunited only 11 persons so far in 2025, in addition to the 13 reintegrated in 2024,” Toscano stated, highlighting the difficulties in contacting families.
The ICRC called for continued support to locate missing persons and mitigate the humanitarian impact on affected communities
