Bujumbura : the body of a missing young man found in a morgue, his family demands answers

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, June 15, 2026—The death of Jean Joël Nikoyagize, a young resident of the Mutanga Nord neighborhood in northern Bujumbura, has raised many questions among his family and friends.

According to reports, the young man left home on June 7, 2026, and never returned. Since then, his relatives have searched extensively in various locations, without success.

Finally, on the afternoon of Friday, June 12, 2026, the family made a tragic discovery : Jean Joël Nikoyagize’s body was already in the morgue at King Khaled Hospital.

According to sources close to the case, morgue officials indicated that the body was transported by the head of the Gituro neighborhood, located in the Kamenge zone, north of the commercial capital, Bujumbura.

This situation has raised many questions among the deceased’s relatives. They are particularly critical of the lack of communication that could have allowed for the rapid identification of the body and informed the family as soon as possible. They are also demanding clarification on the circumstances in which the young man was found and the cause of his death.

The relatives are demanding a full investigation into this tragic disappearance. They believe that several unanswered questions surround this case, particularly regarding the time elapsed between the discovery of the body and the notification of the family.

In recent days, several cases of kidnapping and disappearances have been reported in the commercial capital, Bujumbura, without the perpetrators being clearly identified.

Bujumbura province, home to the commercial capital, is regularly cited as one of the areas most affected by deadly violence in the small East African nation.

Last week, the Catholic bishops of Burundi also expressed their concern about the resurgence of violence and disappearances, calling on the authorities to strengthen security and protect civilians.