FG plans centres for missing persons in 3 states

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to establish centres for missing persons in three states of the country.

The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, disclosed this yesterday at in Abuja to mark the International Day for Missing Persons.

She said the National Technical Committee on the Establishment and Management of a Database of Missing Persons is setting up its pilot centres in Benue, Borno and Rivers.

Uwais, who is also the chairperson of the database committee, said it will serve as a platform for family members or friends of missing persons to engage with and document necessary information about their loved ones.

Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Mrs. Oti Ovrawah, said countless number of citizens have disappeared but some are allegedly in the custody of security agencies or the military.

She called on the Federal Government to expedite action on the establishment of the missing persons’ database.

On his part, Head of Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr. Eloi Fillion, said over 10, 000 persons are missing in Nigeria.

“Together with the Red Cross societies in neighbouring countries, the ICRC is searching for 10, 480 persons, most of them children. This year alone, over 4, 000 tracing requests have been made to the Red Cross family by persons seeking information about the fate of missing relatives,” he said.