By Godwin Agia, Jalingo
A corpse of Micheal Usange, an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) and retired Director with Taraba State Teaching Service Board was on Saturday exhumed from his grave at Chiina village along Wukari Chinkai road by suspected militias and burnt to ashes.
Usange and his family were displaced in the Tiv/Jukuns crisis since 2019, and he died while taking refuge in Kyado, Benue state. Usange’s burial was conducted on the 28th June 2025 when the militias mobilized and forcefully removed his corpse and burnt it to ashes.
Wukari is the home town of the Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas who recently won Nigerian Union of Journalism (NUJ) security man of the year award.
Adviser to former governor of Taraba State (Danbaba Suntai) on information and technology and now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Wukari Hon. Orbee Uchiv while speaking with Citizenship correspondent alleged that the act of exhuming his brother’s corpse, Usange from the grave and burnt to ashes was conducted allegedly by Mr. Angwu Yavini.
Uchiv said Yavini who has been fingered as one of the persons behind unrest within the Wukàri Chinkai road came to the burial of Usange on Saturday and threatened to consecrate the body, should the family go ahead to make the burial.
“On the 28th of June, which was on Saturday, while we brought the corpse of Micheal Usange for burial, Angwu Yavini, a Jukun youths leader came alongside some youths, he threatened that the burial should not be done within the Chiina village.
“He insisted that even of we buried Usange, he is coming to destroy the body.
“Shockingly, we wake up yesterday, Sunday to discover that exactly what Yavini threatened during the burial was done, the body of Usange was removed from his grave, burnt and left there.
“We are calling on the Taraba state governor Agbu Kefas to act fast, he should be enforcing peace not just by preaching it. It is regrettable to see that this is happening under his nose, his home town, what can he go and tell people from other areas if he cannot put his own local government under peace?.
“The governor should ensure the arrest of Yavini and his cooperators, This road is the only peaceful road we are having to exit and come into Taraba state, Yavini and his co-host are doing their best to make it impassable again, we demand his arrest for possible prosecution. Uchiv stated.
Citizenship Daily gathered that the DPO of Wukari went to the area to restore calm, although, the incident is brewing tension from the area as both the Tiv and Jukuns families are not sleeping with their eyes closed for fear of reprisal.
When contacted, the Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council, Hon. Dauda Smaila Agbu confirmed the incident, saying he has provided security for re-burial of Usange.
“As for the corpse that was burnt, I want to clarify that, yes we saw a casket with corpse inside on the road side and I immediately requested soldiers to investigate and report back to me which they did.
“Also, I want to inform you that I invited the family of the deceased and provided security for them and the man was properly buried and for now Wukari is peaceful,” the chairman stated.
