THE whereabouts of Nida Naseer remain a mystery, almost three months after the teenager disappeared from her Newport home.

The 19-year-old was last seen when she went to put the bins out on December 28 last year.

Since then, despite a series of media appeals and a major police investigation, there has been no sign of Nida.

Today we speak in detail to Nida's father Naseer Tahir about the effect her disappearance has had on his family, who live in the Pill area of the city.

It is a tough time for the family, made worse by baseless rumours and racist comments left on social media and online.

Quite what people hope to achieve by saying such things is beyond us.

Yes, Nida and her family are failed asylum seekers - but that does not make them any less worthy of our help and sympathy at a terribly distressing time.

It is a concern that - three months down the line - this newspaper is still having to make the above points.

Nida Naseer is a teenage girl who has gone missing. All that matters is finding her alive and well.

Her father is convinced someone knows where Nida is and that she may be being prevented from contacting her family.

If that is true, then we hope that someone reads the Argus today and realises how important it is to let Nida's family know she is safe.