According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), there are currently 24,025 people reported missing in Nigeria, with most cases originating from the Northeast. This crisis is largely attributed to the Boko Haram conflict, which has been ongoing for more than a decade, heavily impacting Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.

Lillian Dube, Head of the ICRC’s sub-delegation office, shared this information during a recent event marking the World Day of Disappeared Persons in Maiduguri. She noted that these figures are likely just a fraction of the true number of missing individuals. Over half of those missing were children when they disappeared.

To date, 492 cases have been resolved, and 1,364 families have received updates about their missing relatives. The ICRC and the Nigeria Red Cross Society are actively monitoring 618 separated children who are still looking for their families. So far, four children have been successfully reunited with their loved ones.

In their efforts to reconnect families, the ICRC has exchanged 1,286 messages, including those from people in detention, and facilitated seven phone calls to help families reconnect. Additionally, more than 600 families have received support through the ICRC’s program, which includes psychosocial, economic, legal, and administrative assistance.

To raise awareness about the importance of staying connected with family members during such crises, the ICRC has widely shared prevention messages through radio, posters, leaflets, and social media. They have also broadcast the names of 8,788 missing persons on the radio and in communities, urging anyone with information to help reunite these individuals with their families.