The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says 284,400 people are missing worldwide, with 94,000 new cases registered in 2024, warning the figures are only “a fraction of the true number.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has revealed that about 284,400 people are currently registered as missing worldwide, with 94,000 cases recorded in 2024 alone. In a statement marking the International Day of the Disappeared, the humanitarian body warned that “from our experience, this is only a fraction of the true number of missing people out there.”
The ICRC said the phenomenon is one of the most devastating consequences of armed conflict, violence, disasters, and migration. “Behind each missing person is a family living in anguish and uncertainty, struggling with the pain of not knowing what has happened to their loved one,” the statement noted.
Nigeria recorded 23,659 missing persons, with 67 percent of cases in Borno State and 59 percent involving minors. The ICRC urged governments to show empathy, combat stigma, and support families seeking answers. “Time does not heal, acknowledgement, answer and respect do,” the statement added.