For ten years, the Nigerian army has fought against the terrorist group Boko Haram. During this time, nearly 22,000 people were reported missing for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Their fate is still unclear, said ICRC President Peter Maurer in Lagos.
In no other country were the ICRC more missing messages received, said the organization. About six out of every ten missing persons were younger than 18 when they disappeared. For parents it is "the biggest nightmare", not knowing where their children are. Large areas of Nigeria are not accessible to aid organizations, according to Maurer.
People have a right to know the fate of their loved ones, Maurer said. "And more needs to be done to prevent families from being separated."
Boko Haram forcibly fights for the establishment of an Islamic state of theocracy in the Muslim northeast of Nigeria. For ten years, the group has been terrorizing the country's population, as well as neighboring Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands of people and triggered a humanitarian crisis. Around 2.4 million people have fled the region, according to the UN Refugee Agency.
Among other things, the organization is working with the Red Cross to help find and reunite family members. So far, 367 cases have been resolved in northeastern Nigeria. According to the ICRC, this shows how great the challenge is.