IDP’s Corpse Exhumed, Burnt To Ashes In Taraba

The corpse of Michael Usange, an Internal Displaced Person (IDP) and retired director with Taraba State Teaching Service Board was on Saturday exhumed from his grave at Chiina village along Wukàri Chinkai road by suspected militias and burnt to ashes.

Usange and his family were displaced in the Tiv/Jukuns crisis since 2019. He died while taking refuge in Kyado, Benue State. Usange’s burial was conducted on June 28, 2025 when the militias mobilised and forcefully removed his corpse and burned it to ashes.

Wukàri is the home town of the Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas who recently won the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) security man of the year award.

Adviser to the former governor of Taraba State on information and technology and now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Wukàri, Hon. Orbee Uchiv while speaking with LEADERSHIP identified the person who exhumed his brother’s corpse,  from the grave and burned it to ashes. He called on the state governor to arrest the alleged culprit.

Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP gathered that the DPO of Wukàri has gone to the area to restore calm, however, the incident is brewing tension in 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 the Wukàri local government council, Hon. Dauda Smaila Agbu, confirmed the incident and said he had provided security for Usange’s re-burial.