By Yusuf A Yusuf, Damaturu
In a bid to amplify awareness on the plight of missing persons and their families, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has tasked religious leaders in Yobe State to dedicate their Friday sermons and Sunday worship services to addressing the scourge of disappearances.
The call came during the commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the Disappeared, held on Thursday in Damaturu, under the theme “Every Missing Person Matters: Remembering, Supporting and Reconnecting Families.”
The event brought together government agencies, community leaders, and humanitarian organisations to honour missing individuals and renew commitments to supporting those left behind.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Syed Rashid Hassan, Head of the ICRC Sub-Delegation in Damaturu, revealed that the ICRC is currently following up on more than 17,000 cases of missing persons in Nigeria, with over 1,500 from Yobe State alone. He noted that these figures likely represent only a fraction of the actual number across the country, and that more than half of those reported missing were children at the time of their disappearance.
According to him,globally,over 513,000 people were registered as missing with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Family Links Network by the end of 2025.
Hassan emphasised that disappearance disrupts community fabric, hinders reconciliation, and impedes social and economic progress.
In a separate message specifically directed at Imams and Pastors, the ICRC urged them to use their religious platforms to disseminate key messages on preventing family separation, ensuring the dignified management of the dead, and supporting families of the missing.
The ICRC noted that disappearances often occur during displacement, communication breakdowns, injury, detention, or when a person dies unidentified.
Religious leaders were therefore encouraged to sensitise congregants on the importance of maintaining communication during crises and properly identifying deceased individuals to prevent ambiguous losses.
To address the psychological and social impact, the ICRC also launched an Accompaniment Program in Damaturu, which has so far supported over 50 families through counselling, peer support, and tree‑planting memorials.
Mr. Ali Idriss, Chairman of the Families of the Missing, spoke on behalf of affected families, expressing both pain and hope. “For us, every missing person is a father, mother, son, daughter, or loved one. The uncertainty of not knowing is a burden we carry every day. We live between hope and uncertainty, asking: Where are they? Are they alive? Will we ever see them again?” he said.
Idriss thanked the ICRC for its support and made a passionate appeal to government institutions to open their doors to families and address not only the search for the missing but also the emotional, economic, and legal needs of those left behind.
He also commended the Hakimi of Nayi-Nawa for providing space for the programme.
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