In northeastern Nigeria, personal tragedies intertwine with broader social challenges as families grapple with the uncertainties created by over a decade of conflict. The plight of Kashim Mohammed and Muhammad Alhaji Bashir, who have each lost a sibling to violence and abduction, underscores not only the immediate pain of loss but also the resilience of communities as they seek answers. Amid their searches for missing loved ones, these families embody the enduring hope that persists even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
Maiduguri, Nigeria – For more than 15 years, Kashim Mohammed has clung to the hope that his younger sister, Falmata, is still alive. Falmata vanished in 2011 while traveling with their mother from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, to Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria. Kashim believes that both women were abducted by unidentified gunmen during their journey.
Years later, a man approached Kashim at Baga Road Market in Maiduguri with news that briefly reignited the family’s hopes. The man claimed to have located Falmata in Benin and was seeking her relatives. However, he disappeared without a trace, leaving Kashim unsure whether the information was genuine. “Since then, nobody knows anything about the man who brought the information,” he lamented.
At 39, Kashim chairs the Association for the Well-being of Displaced and Missing Persons’ Families, a community organization based in Bolori II, Ngarnam ward of Maiduguri. Over the years, violence in the region has torn families apart, leaving many to grapple with the loss of loved ones. Kashim reflects on the toll of this tragedy, recalling how their father, Mohammed Kolo—a dedicated worker at Maiduguri’s State Specialist Hospital—passed away at 60, having yet to learn the fate of his beloved daughter. Despite the challenging circumstances, Kolo held onto hope, believing, “Wherever she is, I believe my daughter is alive.”
Muhammad Alhaji Bashir, 29, also lives with the void left by his missing elder brother, Adam Muhammad Bashir, known as Bakura. Bakura disappeared around 2012 or 2013 when Muhammad was just 14 years old. He was active in the local market, selling cosmetics and pursuing a civil engineering degree. Muhammad attributes the crisis surrounding Bakura’s disappearance to the ongoing conflict brought about by Boko Haram’s armed rebellion, which began in northeastern Nigeria in 2009.
The violence has devastated communities, leading to abductions and displacements, leaving countless families uncertain about the fates of their loved ones. As part of his search, Muhammad has visited a rehabilitation center in Bulumkutu, hopeful that someone might recognize his brother among the rescued individuals. Unfortunately, these searches have yielded no results. Tragically, he has also lost his father and stepmother to illnesses attributed to the stress and anxiety surrounding Bakura’s disappearance, yet he and other relatives continue their quest for answers.
The experiences of these two families resonate with countless others affected by the same conflict. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), local advocates estimate that approximately 17,000 individuals are currently missing across northern Nigeria, many due to Boko Haram-related violence. Kashim’s association has documented around 10,000 missing individuals in Borno State alone, although he notes that many families have yet to register their missing relatives. Behind these numbers lie heart-wrenching stories of families who have spent years searching, often enduring anguish as parents pass away without discovering the fates of their children.
As families search hospitals, displacement camps, and various centers that receive individuals impacted by the conflict, they often follow unverified leads. Despite submitting names and photographs to missing person tracing organizations, families frequently face the daunting challenge of locating their missing relatives. Kashim’s commitment to finding Falmata motivated the establishment of his association in 2023, which was officially registered in 2025.
Members of the association meet monthly, not only to exchange vital information but also to support one another in their shared grief. Some families report losing multiple relatives in the conflict, highlighting the severe toll that the violence has wrought within their community. The association additionally provides assistance to around 600 orphaned children impacted by these disappearances, addressing their educational needs and basic survival.
The search for answers became even more challenging when devastating floods struck parts of Maiduguri in 2024, submerging homes and destroying vital evidence, including photographs that families kept for identification purposes. Without these images, families must rely on memories and scant details to search for their loved ones.
For Kashim, the prospect of finding Falmata represents a long-awaited resolution to a question that has haunted his family since her disappearance. Meanwhile, Muhammad continues to look for Bakura in the absence of the parents who once aided him. Both families call upon anyone with information regarding their missing relatives, understanding that uncovering the truth would provide not just closure, but a profound sense of relief that would transform their lives.
Kashim’s heartfelt message resonates deeply as he pleads for a reunion he has long awaited: “Falmata Mohammed, if you are alive anywhere in this world, we, the family of late Mohammed Kolo in Bolori II, Ngarnam, are waiting for you.”
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