The organisation noted that in 2024 alone, more than 94,000 individuals were newly registered as missing by their relatives through the Family Links Network.
In a statement marking the International Day of the Disappeared, observed annually on August 30, the ICRC stressed that these figures likely represent only a small portion of the true number of people whose whereabouts remain unknown.
“In 2024, families registered more than 94,000 missing persons through the Family Links Network, raising the total number of recorded cases to around 284,400. From our experience, this is just a fraction of the real scale of the tragedy,” the statement explained.
The Family Links Network is made up of 192 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, ICRC delegations, and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), all working together to trace missing individuals.
The ICRC underscored the emotional and social toll on affected families, stressing that every missing person represents loved ones living in uncertainty, often burdened by economic, legal, psychological, and social struggles.
In Nigeria, the humanitarian body reported that 13,595 families are still searching for 23,659 missing persons—59 percent of whom were minors when they disappeared. It added that Borno State alone accounted for 67 percent of those cases, with women making up the majority of families still seeking answers.
The organisation further urged societies not to stigmatize or isolate families searching for their loved ones but to recognize and support their resilience.
“The solidarity and initiatives created by families of the missing deserve encouragement, as they consistently show extraordinary strength in the face of grief and uncertainty,” it stated.