ICRC says 17,000 missing-person cases remain active in Nigeria's Northeast
ICRC says 17,000 missing-person cases remain under active tracing in Nigeria, down from about 24,000 previously, but the drop reflects lost contact with relatives rather than reunifications. Aliyu Dawobe, ICRC spokesman in Nigeria, disclosed the figure during a two‑day training for journalists on humanitarian reporting held in Lagos, where the organisation said it invited 50 journalists divided into two batches of 25 participants to improve coverage of humanitarian issues and International Humanitarian Law.
The organisation explained that the protracted insurgency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states has kept families separated for over ten years, with many displaced and unable to maintain contact. ICRC, working with the Nigerian Red Cross Society, traces people separated by armed conflict and other violence, and stresses that journalists can help by telling real human‑angle stories that focus on suffering and aim to alleviate pain.
Nathalie Bekdache, ICRC communication coordinator, urged reporters to use careful language when covering conflicts and to highlight the experiences of affected people rather than just casualty figures, noting that the way we talk about humanitarian situations can either help or hinder those undergoing armed conflict. Will you share verified tracing information or support local Red Cross efforts to help families reconnect?