Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Thousands Missing in Nigeria After a Decade of Conflict Chika Oduah MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA, - About five years ago, Abdulhamid Bala narrowly escaped a brutal attack after the armed Islamist group known as Boko Haram invaded the remote community of Gwoza where he lived with his family in northeastern Nigeria's Borno State. "Many Boko Haram members infiltrated the community but there were about 10 of them chasing us on motorcycles. They were shooting at us sporadically," Bala told VOA. Boko Haram had struck Gwoza several times and in August 2014, the insurgents completely overran the town, declaring it their headquarters. In the midst of the chaos, Hamid ran into the mountains surrounding Gwoza losing sight of his father and younger brother. They've been missing ever since. Hamid reported his missing relatives to the International Committee of the Red Cross. An epidemic The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says their highest caseload of missing persons in the world is currently in Nigeria. Nearly 22,000 Nigerians have been reported as missing and 90% of the cases are linked to the Boko Haram insurgency, the Red Cross reports. The armed sect declared war on the Nigerian government in 2009, with the goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate. It's estimated that 2 million people have been displaced by the conflict and many ran to the Borno state capital of Maiduguri to seek safe haven. Bala also fled to Maiduguri, about 140 kilometers northwest of Gwoza. He lives with his wife in the city's largest refugee camp Bakassi, with more than 43,000 others. At the sprawling camp, many people have stories about being separated from a relative. Children are especially vulnerable, with nearly 60% of those in the registry minors at the time they disappeared. .