Missing persons in Nigeria remain a growing crisis, with thousands of families still searching for loved ones amid armed conflicts and violence

Missing persons in Nigeria continue to leave families in deep anguish, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported, as the country observes the International Day of the Disappeared on August 30.

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ICRC estimates that 13,595 families are searching for 23,659 missing persons, with 67 percent of the cases concentrated in Borno State. Alarmingly, 59 percent of those missing were minors at the time of disappearance.

Globally, around 284,400 people are registered as missing, with over 94,000 new cases recorded in 2024 alone. The ICRC stresses that these figures likely represent only a fraction of the true number of missing persons.

The Family Links Network, a program under the ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), brings together 192 national societies and delegations to support families seeking answers.

“Behind each missing person is a family living in anguish and uncertainty, struggling with the pain of not knowing what has happened to their loved one,” the ICRC statement said.

It highlighted the compounded economic, legal, psychological, and social challenges families face while advocating for the rights of their missing loved ones.

The statement urged society to show solidarity and empathy. Families should not face stigma or exclusion for their efforts to clarify the fate of their missing members.

Support initiatives created by these families demonstrate remarkable resilience in overcoming adversity.

As the ICRC emphasized, “Continuous efforts are needed to search for those who are missing and provide information on their fate and whereabout to their families. Time does not heal, acknowledgement, answer and respect do.”

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By standing together, the world can amplify the voices of families of the disappeared and work toward a reality where no one endures the pain of uncertainty.