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 northeastern 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.
Patrick Youssef, ICRC’s regional director for Africa, disclosed this figure in a statement issued to mark the International Day of the Disappeared, observed on August 30.
- Bandits gun down man in Abuja residence, abduct wife, kids
- Nigerians paid N1.04bn ransom to kidnappers in one year – Report
“In armed conflict, both civilians and combatants go missing,” said Mr. Youssef. “They can go missing when they are arrested or captured, detained, and held incommunicado. They might be alive but simply do not have the means to contact their relatives.”
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.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
