Home / War and Conflict / Nigeria's Lost Souls: A Decade of Disappearance
Nigeria's Lost Souls: A Decade of Disappearance
25 Oct
Summary
- Families endure over 15 years of searching for missing loved ones.
- The Boko Haram crisis has left thousands missing since 2009.
- Recent floods destroyed precious identification photographs.
In northeastern Nigeria, countless families continue their agonizing search for loved ones who disappeared over a decade ago during sustained periods of violence. For instance, Kashim Mohammed has hoped for his sister Falmata's return since her abduction in 2011. His father passed away in 2025, never learning his daughter's fate.
Muhammad Alhaji Bashir also searches for his elder brother, Bakura, who went missing around 2012 or 2013 amid the Boko Haram insurgency. This conflict, which started in 2009, has devastated communities through abductions and displacement, leaving families with unanswered questions.
An estimated 17,000 people are missing across northern Nigeria, many linked to the conflict. Kashim's association records indicate approximately 10,000 missing in Borno State alone. The organization, established in 2023 and registered in 2025, supports affected families and about 600 orphaned children.
Recent devastating floods in 2024 exacerbated the situation in Maiduguri, destroying vital identification photographs that families used to identify missing relatives. These families now rely on memories and surviving records in their search, a search that has become even more challenging amidst ongoing conflict and displacement.
