Families of Disappeared Persons Mark International Day with Sanitation Campaign in Adamawa

YOLA —By Ojoma Yusuf,Yola

Families of persons who disappeared during the insurgency in Northeast Nigeria have marked the forthcoming International Day of the Disappeared with a sanitation exercise at an internally displaced persons (IDP) settlement in Vinuklang, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The sanitation campaign, held ahead of the International Day of the Disappeared observed annually on August 30, was organised by relatives of missing persons and supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The exercise served as more than an environmental sanitation activity, as the families used it to remember their missing loved ones, raise awareness about their plight and demonstrate solidarity with other families still searching for answers about the whereabouts of relatives who disappeared during the armed conflict.

The participants, many of whom were displaced from Borno State and now reside in Adamawa, cleaned their community as a symbolic expression of love and remembrance for family members whose whereabouts remain unknown.

The insurgency in Northeast Nigeria has left a painful humanitarian legacy, with thousands of people displaced and many others reported missing over the years.

For their families, the disappearance of loved ones has created a painful state of uncertainty, leaving them unable to properly mourn or move on because they do not know whether their relatives are alive or dead.

The International Day of the Disappeared therefore provides an opportunity to draw public attention to the challenges faced by families of missing persons and to renew calls for information concerning their whereabouts.

Emeline Montel, Protection of Family Links Delegate with the ICRC in Mubi, said the annual observance provides an important platform for highlighting the global humanitarian challenge posed by people who go missing during armed conflicts and other humanitarian crises.

Montel said the relatives who participated in the sanitation exercise were themselves family members of people who disappeared during the armed conflict in Northeast Nigeria.

According to her, the activity served a dual purpose by creating awareness about missing persons while allowing the families to make a positive contribution to the communities where they now live.

Also speaking, Abdurrahman Bukar, a member of the Association of Families of Disappeared Persons, said the sanitation initiative was part of the group’s broader campaign to create awareness about missing relatives.

Bukar said the families had received reports suggesting that some missing persons could be in neighbouring countries, including Cameroon and Chad, further underscoring the need for continued efforts to trace them.

For Habiba Mustapha, a relative of disappeared persons from Gwoza, the disappearance of her loved ones has remained a source of emotional and economic hardship.

Mustapha said four members of her family are currently missing, adding that the disappearance had disrupted the lives and livelihoods of the affected family members.

She said the missing relatives had jobs and responsibilities before the insurgency separated them from their families.

“Till date, our hearts remain heavy and our eyes are still on the way. We have not given up until we see our loved ones,” she said.

The families said they would continue to raise awareness and seek information about their missing relatives while keeping hope alive for their safe return.