The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it is currently following up on more than 1,500 missing-person cases in Yobe State, as families continue to search for answers about their loved ones.
The ICRC’s Head of Sub-Delegation in Damaturu, Syed Rashid Hassan, disclosed this on Thursday during an event marking the 2026 International Day of the Disappeared in Damaturu.
Hassan said the Yobe cases were part of more than 17,000 missing-person cases being followed by the ICRC across Nigeria. More than half of those reported missing were children when they disappeared, although the organisation believes the figures may represent only a portion of the actual number of missing people.
Families Living With Uncertainty
Hassan described missing persons as one of the most painful consequences of armed conflict, violence, disasters and migration, noting that families are often left facing emotional, psychological, financial and legal difficulties.
“Today, many families are still living in uncertainty, causing agony and unspeakable suffering.”
The ICRC said it is working with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, government authorities and other stakeholders to trace missing people, reunite families and establish the fate of those whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The organisation has also launched a support programme in Damaturu to help affected families deal with the psychological and social effects of having loved ones missing. More than 50 families have received support so far.
Families Call for More Support
Representing families of missing persons, Ali Idris, Chairman of Families of the Missing, said affected families continue to live between hope and uncertainty.
He said the absence of information has affected the emotional wellbeing, livelihoods and relationships of many families.
Idris appreciated the ICRC’s tracing and psychosocial support efforts but urged government authorities to provide stronger and more coordinated assistance.
“Our needs go beyond finding our missing loved ones. Yes, we need answers.”
The ICRC also called for stronger legal and institutional systems for tracing missing persons, identifying unidentified bodies and providing families with reliable answers.
The International Day of the Disappeared is observed every August 30 to remember missing persons and stand in solidarity with their families.
Source: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
