Africa Watch – Vanishing act

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported a 75% rise in missing persons cases across Africa, including Nigeria, over the past five years. More than 71,000 individuals are currently registered as missing, up from 40,708 at the end of 2019. The ICRC clarified that these figures only reflect documented cases by the ICRC and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, not the total number of missing persons on the continent. The ICRC gave the update as the world observes the International Day of the Disappeared on Friday, 30 August.

The ICRC defines missing persons as individuals whose whereabouts are unknown to their families and/or who, based on reliable information, have been reported missing in connection with an international or non-international armed conflict, internal violence, disturbances, or any other situation that may require the intervention of a neutral and independent intermediary.

This definition aligns with Africa’s missing persons crisis, which is fuelled by several factors, including irregular migration to Europe through dangerous routes, displacement from conflicts and violence, and the effects of climate change.

In Nigeria, this issue is even more pressing, as the country’s security crisis has led to at least one person being kidnapped daily, with some never returning home. The severity of the missing persons problem is compounded by poor national record-keeping, which, as noted in the ICRC’s report, makes it nearly impossible to assess the extent of the issue accurately. A significant part of the solution lies in adopting digital governance practices, particularly for law enforcement agencies. This should be accompanied by efforts to improve police performance, which would build trust with communities and encourage the reporting and resolution of disappearances.