The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has revealed that no fewer than 24,000 Nigerians have been declared missing by their families since 2015, with Borno State accounting for the highest number.
Speaking during a media workshop in Maiduguri, María Toscano, ICRC Protection of Family Links Team Leader, disclosed that the humanitarian organisation is still working to trace the whereabouts of the missing individuals.
She stated that Borno alone has about 9,000 missing persons, out of the 16,000 cases recorded in the North-East.
According to her, 71 percent of the missing cases occurred between 2014 and 2015, with Bama Local Government Area recording the highest number, approximately 5,000.
She also revealed that 65 percent of those missing in the region were children at the time they disappeared.
Toscano confirmed that 11 persons have been reunited with their families so far in 2025, in addition to the 13 who were reintegrated in 2024.
However, she identified limited access to conflict-affected areas and difficulty in contacting families as major obstacles in the search efforts.
The Head of ICRC’s Sub-Delegation in Maiduguri, Diana Japaridze, expressed deep concern about the growing number of unresolved cases of missing persons, many of whom were displaced by over a decade of armed conflict. She said the trauma of not knowing the fate of a loved one can last for years, creating prolonged anguish and uncertainty.
Japaridze called on the media to help raise public awareness about the issue and amplify the voices of affected families. “Families have a right to know the fate of their loved ones.
“We hope that the knowledge shared during this training will help journalists research more deeply and report professionally, empathetically, and without bias,” she said.
