Art Installation Sheds Light on Nigeria’s Rising Missing Persons Crisis

Yinka Olatunbosun

Visual artist Ashele Israel has created a striking social commentary on Nigeria’s growing missing persons crisis, confronting the public with both the scale of the problem and the widespread indifference toward it.

His one-day installation and performance, “24,000 and Counting,” took place on Friday, January 23, at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, and was presented by the Lagos Pop-Up Museum. The project was designed to reveal how people unconsciously pass by missing persons’ posters daily—particularly at bus stops and busy streets—without concern or empathy.

To immerse visitors in his vision, Israel recreated a typical Lagos bus stop within the exhibition space. The environment featured recorded voices of conductors shouting destinations, announcements urging people to register their SIM cards and National Identification Numbers, and displays of everyday roadside items such as soft drinks, snacks, and second-hand clothes (known locally as okrika). The result was a vividly noisy, crowded atmosphere that mirrored the city’s daily rhythm.

“This installation mimics everyday life,” Israel explained. “People see these posters at bus stops all the time but rarely notice them. I wanted to create awareness, because most of these posters are pasted in public spaces like this.”

The project was informed by research Israel began in June last year in collaboration with the Nigerian Red Cross Society.

“My research shows that over 24,000 people have been reported missing in the last ten years according to Red Cross records alone. If we include unreported cases, the number could be close to 50,000,” he revealed. The installation, he said, is meant to awaken public consciousness to both the scale and urgency of the issue.

“Every day, missing persons’ posters are everywhere—in markets, on streets—but people avoid engagement. Even taking a photo or contacting a family is often seen as too much effort. Meanwhile, the numbers keep rising,” Israel added.

He urged Nigerians to take personal safety seriously: inform family members of their movements, share locations, and ensure visits to safe, trusted spaces. He also encouraged the public to photograph missing persons’ posters, which could be vital if the individuals are at risk of trafficking, kidnapping, or other dangers. “Even if someone is in prison or has passed away, at least you can report to their family,” he said.

Israel emphasized the importance of empathy: “At minimum, you can call the number on the poster, send condolences, or pray for the family.”

He explained his choice of installation and performance art over painting or sculpture: “Installation allows people to physically experience the message. It helps them visualize the situation in a way paintings or sculptures cannot.”

The photographs used in the installation were sourced both personally—taken by Israel in areas like Obalende and Yaba—and online, with the Red Cross providing official data linking missing persons to their families. Israel plans to continue researching and documenting missing persons cases across Nigeria.

Dr. Odun Orimolade, Curatorial Director of the Yaba Art Museum, noted that Israel’s installation was particularly powerful because visitors automatically became part of the performance. “The bus stop setting and the subject of missing people make this work highly relevant. It connects strongly with youth issues and social justice,” she said.

Dr. Orimolade also highlighted that the project was part of a four-month Lagos Pop-Up Museum exhibition at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, running from November until February 10. The initiative raises funds to sponsor students through the sale or adoption of artworks, priced at a minimum of ₦100,000 per piece. “So far, about 200 adoptions have been made, which means 200 scholarships. We didn’t expect this level of response,” she said.

The Lagos Pop-Up Museum—unveiled at a press conference on November 11 and open to the public from November 8—serves as a dynamic cultural platform featuring exhibitions, performances, workshops, innovation labs, and community engagement activities across Lagos. Its curators describe it as a space that combines art, education, and civic awareness, promoting public interaction and social responsibility through creative expression, with support from Yabatech, national cultural institutions, community partners, and international organizations.