Amnesty International calls on FG to Develop Database of Disappeared Persons.
From right to left: Country Director Amnesty International Isa Sanusi, founder Al’amin Foundation Hajiya Hamsatu Al’amin and Executive Director of an NGO Peace Ambassadors foundation at a dialogue in Maiduguri.
By Dauda Iliya
Amnesty International has called on the federal government to create a comprehensive database of disappeared and missing persons due to Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
Country Director Amnesty International Isa Sanusi made the call at a stakeholder dialogue in Maiduguri.
He explained that the dialogue is part activities to commemorate this year’s International Day of Victims of enforced disappearance.
Malam Sanusi said creating a center for people with complaints of disappeared or missing persons to come and register is a great step towards achieving peace and stability in the region.
“There is no way we can build peace in Borno state and the entire region without accounting for the missing and disappeared persons and thoroughly investigated the matter” Isa Sanusi said.
The Country Director also appealed to the Federal government to investigate cases of enforced disappearance since beginning of the insurgency in North East Nigeria.
Founder of Al’amin Foundation, Hajiya Hamsatu Al’amin said her Foundation has registered more that twenty three thousand cases of missing and disappeared persons in the state.
She commended the military for releasing some detainees from various facilities across the country in the last two years.
“Infact, the leadership of the Nigerian military has allowed us access into Giwa barrack, within a period of eight months, we have accessed Giwa barracks four times ” Hajiya Hamsatu said.
According to Hajiya Hamsatu Al’amin a total of 1,886 people have been released, calling on authorities to fast track the process of releasing innocent people in detention facilities to enable them reunite with their families.
