By Umar Dankano Yola.
The families of the missing persons have urged stakeholders in all strata of life to continue supporting the search of their loved ones who have not be found yet in Adamawa state and the country at large.
Recall that millions of Nigerians have been displaced due to armed conflicts or natural disaster while thousands have gone missing especially in the North Eastern part of the country as a result of Boko Haram insurgency which has been lingering since 2009 despite efforts being rendered by the government.
State Secretary of the Missing Persons Families Association, Mr. Joshua Audu in his speech at the 2026 International day of the disappeared ceremony held in Yola on Thursday said that the day was not set aside as remembrance day only but it is a day of courage, solidarity, advocacy, and renewed commitment for the family of the missing persons.
Audu explained that the theme for this year’s occasion “Keep Our Case Alive” captures the reality of families who continue to live with unanswered questions noting that when a loved one goes missing, the pain does not end with the passage of time.
“Every day brings the same questions; Where is my beloved one?,What happened to him or her?.Are they alive?. Will we ever know the truth?. The Uncert ainty is often more painful than an answer”.
Audu emphasized that among their major achievements recorded was the formation of the Association in 2022 which offered the families of the missing persons to understand that many shares their pain and agony applauding the efforts and support of humanitarian bodies like the ICRC,NRCS and host of others.
Speaking at the commemoration event, Emeline Montel, Protection of family Links Delegate, International Committee of the Red Cross,ICRC.Mubi expressed delight with the ceremony saying it shows shared commitment to address the issue of the disappeared and the missing in the globe.
Montel stressed that the issue of the missing persons has an immense impact on families,of course, but it also profoundly impacts the society.The issue of the missing is a matter of peace and reconciliation, for a whole society.
Montel pointed out that the ICRC has been working with the families of the missing people around the globe since decades, noting that people going missing due to armed conflicts or any other humanitarian situation like natural disaster, remains a global humanitarian tragedy.
“Our Red Cross Movement registered 500,000 missing people across the world.In Nigeria , the ICRC continues maintaining contact with the families of 17,000 missing persons but in Adamawa state,we registered more than 3,000 families whose loved ones went missing.
“And we know that these numbers are only fractions of the reality as we do prevention, tracing and reunification of the missing people “.Montel highlighted.
Abdulrahaman Bukar and Habiba Gwoza Mustapha commended ICRC for guiding them always more especially creation of the Association which they viewed as source of mutual support families struggling with the consequences of disappearance.
Our Correspondent reports that, the international day for the disappeared is being celebrated on the 30th August annually with line up activities like raising awareness through sanitation exercise of cleaning business premises, drainage and roads as held on Wednesday in a suburb community of Vunoklang in Girei local government area in the state.
