View this email in your browser

Monday, November 15, 2021

“Behind every missing person, there are countless more people suffering from the anguish and uncertainty of not knowing the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones and struggling with the multiple consequences this has on their lives."- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Dear Friend,As a citizens-driven organisation, we understand the task ahead of us; one that is not only steeped in the quest for good governance and true democracy but also in doing our bit to fill gaps left to fate, by years of misadministration and selfish interests.It is rather disheartening that Africa’s most populous black nation—Nigeria, the giant of Africa, has not had a national census since 2006!Characterised by factors not limited to kidnappings, ritual killings, organ and human trafficking and acts of terrorism, the spate of missing persons have been on the increase for over a decade. Yet, nothing substantive has been done by various administrations to create a missing persons database and open up investigations where required, in order to bring the missing home—whether alive or otherwise.This is the primary objective of the MissingInNG project. 

The vision was birthed on May 18, 2019, after Femi Falana (SAN), a guest at the Bring Back Our Girls sit-out in Lagos held to mark the 16th birthday of one of the Boko Haram abductees, Leah Sharibu, challenged EiE to develop a citizens’ Missing Persons Register.In partnership with SB Morgen, we have successfully issued the maiden edition of the MissingInNG report.This publication captures some media/public reported missing persons, including those eventually found alive or dead across the nation, from 2019-2021.

In the long run, we seek to launch a full fledged website where reports and documentations can be made in realtime. We believe this will go a long way in notifying the public and mustering support to find missing persons.No one knows, like a close friend or family member, what it feels like to have a loved one disappear! No trace, no closure.

In a country where self-interest rules, we must strive to speak for those who may never be heard. We must commit to finding missing persons; putting faces and names to the numbers until their whereabouts can be confirmed.

Support the MissingInNG Project.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!‘Yemi Adamolekun (Ms.)Executive Director