Dr. Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, revealed during a stakeholder engagement event in Abuja themed “Where are you now?” held to commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared that the insurgency in certain parts of Nigeria has resulted in several reported cases of missing individuals totaling approximately 23,000 people in less than a decade.
She stated that this figure accounts for half of all missing people in Africa. Edu noted that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) report on missing individuals was created as a result of the insurgency in various sections of the country.
She said “Today, over 23,000 persons are still missing. However, it is likely that this is just the tip of the iceberg as a more efficient mechanism is needed to improve the reporting and forensically trace cases of missing persons.”
The minister stated that the issue of missing people had become one of the most serious and long-lasting human hardships caused by armed situations. She underlined the significance of careful consideration in this topic.
Dr. Edu stated that the current government was committed to addressing this issue. As a result, there was a movement to make the essential legal standards stronger and more effective in dealing with missing persons instances.
Mr. Yann Bonzon, who led the ICRC group, stated that over 23,000 people documented by the Family Links Network in Nigeria had not returned home and were still missing.
He said “The actual number of missing persons is likely to be much higher, with Nigeria having more missing people than any other country on the continent. Until a national mechanism is created, immediate steps must be taken by the Nigerian government to prevent disappearances, prevent the disruption of family links, and maintain links between separated family members. It will also help to address proper management of the dead.”
Bonzon stressed that the ICRC would continue to work closely with the government and other essential parties to avoid disappearances. The goal of this collaborative endeavor is to encourage and support the adoption of international best practices.
Furthermore, he stated the ICRC’s aim to assist Nigerian authorities in creating sustainable capacities and resources for the establishment of a national mechanism dedicated to assisting missing people and their relatives.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the group raised awareness by walking from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the National Human Rights Commission.
