Nigeria's Missing Persons Problem:

The Numbers The Faces

Missing person poster in Nigeria, as imagined by Midjourney AI. Prompt supplied by ‘Kunle Adebajo/HumAngle

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In February, HumAngle started collecting data about people who went missing due to the Boko Haram crisis across four Local Government Areas in Borno. Here’s what we found.

One thousand, six hundred and twenty-nine (1,629). That is the number of people our field researchers documented as missing from four local government areas in Borno in just three months.

This indicates that across northeastern Nigeria, the actual number of people who have gone missing due to the Boko Haram insurgency that broke out in 2009 is much higher. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has been gathering related data for many years, over 25,000 people have been reported missing in the region. Even it insists the true picture is grimmer.

Like the ICRC, HumAngle started researching the issue this year, and we have found not only staggering numbers but also heartbreaking stories. We will share a glimpse in this report.

The four local government areas (LGAs) covered during the initial phase were Askira Uba, Bama, Chibok, and Gwoza. 

The information collected relates not only to those still missing but people who went missing in the past and have been found. We gathered a wide range of information from name and age to occupation, whether there has been news about the person, and the actors suspected to be responsible. To aid identification, we asked whether the missing person has any disabilities, injuries, or distinctive features. We also asked for their pictures or pictures of people who resemble them.

Some of the information is publicly accessible on the HumAngle missing persons dashboard.

Modu Mustapha

“I want to see him once again before I die. I even went to Sabsawa bush in search of him, but I couldn't find him.” — Falmata Mustapha, mother.

16, Bama. Last seen: Sept. 2014.

Banagana Bukar

“I am soliciting and begging you to help me. He left me with six children. Please help and enrol them into school or help me with a little capital even to start petty trading at my door.” — Hajja Kolo Umar, wife.

45, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2013.

Aisha Adam

“They took her first. She escaped, and they again took her away in 2014.” — Hajja Aisa Ali, daughter.

50, Bama. Last seen: Sept. 2014.

Babakaka Modu

“He was taken away by the Nigerian Army in 2013.” — Innagana Bukar, brother.

45, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2013.

Location

Over the course of data collection, the team sought to reach out to all the members of the communities across the target LGAs to collect data on the missing persons. Over ninety (90.9) per cent of the respondents were residents in the communities, while 9.1 per cent stayed at displacement camps.

 

 

The fewer respondents in the IDP camps is attributed to the government closure of the camps, as many displaced persons are now moving into the communities. There is also difficulty accessing some of the camps in certain areas.

Gender

More than half (56.5 per cent) of the missing persons identified were male, while 43.5 per cent were female.

Men also constitute the largest number of people in detention centres, many of them arbitrarily arrested in connection to the insurgency. They are also often forcefully conscripted by non-state actors. Women, on the other hand, are frequently victims of abduction by terrorists.

Local government of origin

Over forty-eight (48.3) per cent of the missing persons documented are from Chibok, 36.7 per cent are from Bama, 10.3 per cent from Gwoza, and 4.2 per cent are from Askira Uba LGAs.

Less than one (0.5) per cent of the persons identified are from other local government areas, including Biu, Damboa, Dikwa, and Hawul.

Thousands of families are separated across long distances in northeastern Nigeria due to the Boko Haram conflict. Illustration by Midjourney AI. Prompt supplied by ‘Kunle Adebajo/HumAngle

Mohammed Bukar

“We had news that he was in Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison. We went to search for him but we couldn't find him there.” — Bagoi Bukar, brother.

39, Bama. Last seen: Sept. 2014.

Musa Yahaya

“He was taken by the Nigerian Army to Bama’s Kur Mohammed barracks during the time soldiers randomly arrested people. He was later transferred to Giwa barracks. From then, we haven't had any news.” — Umar Ahmed, brother.

50, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2013.

Abba Kaka Waziri

“The Nigerian Army caught him in Bama. He beat the time of curfew with just five minutes. They took him away and since then, I haven’t had any news. Eight years later, I heard he was in Giwa barracks.” — Yagana Waziri, mother.

30, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2013.

Modu Zarai

“We were in Bama when the insurgency started. Then he left for Lagos. He was driving okada when some family alleged he impregnated their daughter. They used their influence to send him to prison. To date, we don't know which prison he is in. We just heard he is alive.” — Modu Isa, brother.

35, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2013.

Highest educational qualification

Over the course of data collection, the team sought to reach out to all the members of the communities across the target LGAs to collect data on the missing persons.

 

Over ninety (90.9) per cent of the respondents were residents in the communities, while 9.1 per cent stayed at displacement camps.

 

 

The fewer respondents in the IDP camps is attributed to the government closure of the camps, as many displaced persons are now moving into the communities.

 

There is also difficulty accessing some of the camps in certain areas.

Employment status

Most of the missing persons identified were self-employed; this constituted 50.8 per cent of the data collected, meaning they engaged in one form of entrepreneurial activity or another.

Also, 17.7 per cent of the persons were identified as students and only about 5.2 per cent were employed.

Also, 17.7 per cent of the persons were identified as students and only about 5.2 per cent were employed.

How they went missing

The study sought to discover the circumstances surrounding the disappearances and separation.

People suspected most (89.9 per cent) of the time that abduction and attacks by the insurgents were responsible for the people going missing, while 7.1 per cent of those missing were forcefully recruited into the terror groups.

The statistics indicated that 2.2 per cent of the persons were kidnapped, and 0.8 per cent voluntarily joined the insurgents.

Mallum Mattawa

“He went to Minarwa with his family. Later, the people said to the Cameroon military that he has children who are Boko Haram members. The Cameroon authorities handed him over to the Nigerian military. That was the last thing we heard about him.” — Mohammed Ibrahim, brother.

60, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2014.

Mallum Bukar Tela

“He was abducted on his way to Kolofata in the Cameroon Republic by the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and handed over to the military. And I know my brother is innocent. He just went for business.” — Agana Landalari, brother.

60, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2015.

Bana Bintube

“In 2012, soldiers gathered all the youths in our area and took them all. Till today, I haven't heard any news. Just recently, I heard he was in Gombe prison. But I am not sure about the news.” — Modu Bintube, father.

20, Bama. Last seen: Jan. 2012.

Bana Massa

“They came and took her away. They tried to slaughter her father but later they decided to let him go.” — Yalta Mustapha, mother.

16, Bama. Last seen: Sept. 2014.

People responsible for disappearance

Fingers were pointed at Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) like Boko Haram and ISWAP  as the people responsible for the disappearance of 95.6 per cent of the people.

State actors were identified as responsible for the disappearance of 3.8 per cent, while 0.3 per cent of the incidents were attributed to kidnappers and others.

Has the person been found?

Of the persons identified as missing, 12.7 per cent have been found, while 87.3 per cent are yet to be found.

Year missing and found

The trend of people going missing in northeastern Nigeria started in 2008 and has continued to date. There was, however, a peak period in 2014 followed by a sharp decline the next year. There was again a gradual increase between 2018 and 2021.

From 2014, there were cases of missing persons getting found and this peaked in 2018, after which there was a gradual decrease. Subsequently, more and more people are getting found and reunited with their families.

Location of persons found

The majority (92 per cent) of the persons found are currently at home, reunited with their families, while 7.3 per cent are under government custody.

Modu M. Gambo

“He left Maiduguri for Damaturu in the afternoon. Later, we heard there was an attack on the way. But we thought he was in Yobe safely because there was no network in Maiduguri during that time. After some days, his friend from Damaturu called and told us ‘Modu hasn't come to Yobe’. That's how we started looking for him. We later found his corpse in UMTH. We hardly recognised his dead body.” — Mohammed Alhaji Modu, cousin.

30, Bama. Last seen alive: Jan. 2013.

Bulama Bor

“The insurgents attacked their vehicle and whisked them away into Sambisa forest.” — Bana Bilin Bulama, cousin.

45, Bama. Last seen: June 2016.

Shatu Bamai Sangayama

“She went to the bush with her three kids, two girls and one boy. Their names are Ashe, Fatima, and Bashehu.” — Bawagana Baba Sanda, sister.

35, Bama. Last seen: Sept. 2014.

Event responsible for finding the person

Nearly half (42.1 per cent) of the persons found escaped from captivity themselves, 23.2 per cent were released by their captors, while 14.7 per cent were found through the intervention of humanitarian organisations.

Further, in 10 per cent of the cases of those found, ransoms were paid to secure their release, 8.9 per cent were found as a result of military action, and 1.1 per cent surrendered to the authorities.

Credits

The data from this report is created in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) under the Missing Persons Register’s Population and Amplification Project.

Interactive Editor/Producer: Muhammed Akinyemi

Editors: Andrew Walker, ‘Kunle Adebajo, Hauwa Shaffii Nuhu

Web design: Attahiru Jibrin, Khadija Gidado

Cover design: Akila Jibrin

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means without proper attribution to HumAngle, generally including the author’s name, a link to the publication and a line of acknowledgement.

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