The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that at least 23,659 people have been declared missing across Nigeria, with over 13,595 families still searching for their loved ones.
The announcement was made by Mr Benson Lee, ICRC’s Family Link Officer, during the commemoration of the International Day of the Disappeared in Yola on Friday, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to him, 59% of the missing were minors at the time of their disappearance, while 67% of all cases occurred in Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. Lee stressed that the figures represent one of the highest caseloads of missing persons documented by the ICRC globally.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says no fewer than 13,595 families are still searching for 23,659 missing persons across Nigeria.
“The ICRC Family Link Officer, Mr Benson Lee, disclosed this on Saturday in Yola at the commemoration of International Day of the Disappeared.
“Lee said 59% of the missing persons were minors at the time of disappearance, and 67% of the incident occurred in Borno,” the NAN report read in part.
He explained that the disappearances are largely linked to armed conflict, violence, displacement, and other humanitarian crises, particularly in Nigeria’s North-East region.
The ICRC noted that families left behind continue to endure uncertainty, psychological distress, and economic hardship as they await news about their relatives.
What you should know
Many cases of disappearances in Nigeria are linked to violence, armed conflict, and abductions driven by ransom demands. Between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigerians paid at least N2.56 billion in ransoms to secure the release of abducted relatives and community members, representing a 144% increase from the previous year.
- Within that same period, 4,722 people were kidnapped in 997 incidents, while 762 others were killed in abduction-related violence, according to SBM Intelligence.
- The Northwest remains the hardest hit, with Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina recording the highest number of incidents.
- Insurgency in the Northeast, especially Borno, also drives many disappearances, often involving children. Families left behind face trauma, financial strain, and prolonged uncertainty, with little access to justice or information.
Nigeria currently ranks among the countries with the highest number of unresolved disappearances globally, highlighting the intersection of insecurity, weak law enforcement, and humanitarian crises in driving the problem.
