Insurgency: Over 23,000 people missing in Nigeria – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu

On Wednesday, Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, revealed that the insurgency in some areas of the country has led to the disappearance of 23,000 individuals within a span of less than ten years.

Speaking in Abuja during a stakeholders’ engagement event titled “Where are you now,” organized to observe the International Day of the Disappeared, Edu shared that this number constitutes half of the total count of missing people across the entire African continent.

She emphasized that the disappearance of individuals has emerged as a profoundly significant and enduring outcome of armed conflicts, underscoring the necessity for serious contemplation. Edu highlighted the dedication of the current administration to address this concern and stressed the importance of enhancing legal frameworks to tackle cases of disappearance effectively.

“Today, over 23,000 persons are still missing.

“However, it is likely that this is just a tip of the iceberg as a more efficient mechanism is needed to improve the reporting and forensically trace cases of missing persons,” she said.