Nyarugusu : police accused of making a Burundian refugee disappear

SOS Médias Burundi

Nyarugusu, Tanzania, October 6, 2026 — A Burundian refugee has been missing since the night of August 21 from the Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania. According to his relatives, Sylvain Nyabenda was detained by the police without being given a reason. Since then, his family says they have had no news of him and accuses the authorities of remaining silent about his fate.

Sylvain Nyabenda worked as a money transfer agent at a kiosk located between Zones 9 and 10 of the camp, near an area known as “Bata.” His relatives state that police officers arrested him on the night of August 21.

The family has searched for him in various detention centers and prisons but has obtained no information regarding his whereabouts. They now fear he may have been the victim of a crime.

Previous cases of abductions and transfers to Burundi

In recent years, reporters have documented several similar cases involving Burundian refugees in Tanzania. At least ten men have been abducted or arrested, only to end up detained in prisons in Burundi, according to information gathered by our newsroom.

These transfers have been attributed to collaboration between Burundian and Tanzanian intelligence services. The individuals involved were eventually released following the intervention of various national and international organizations. Nduta and Nyarugusu closed to Burundian refugees

This year, Tanzanian authorities closed the last two camps hosting Burundian refugees—Nduta and Nyarugusu—as part of a process aimed at accelerating their return to Burundi.

According to Tanzanian and Burundian authorities, this policy is driven by the restoration of peace and stability in Burundi. However, some of the affected refugees and human rights organizations dispute this justification, describing some repatriations as forced.

The few Burundian refugees remaining in Nyarugusu are under United Nations protection, provided by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Their continued presence coincides with the ongoing repatriation process and the refusal of some individuals to return to Burundi, citing safety concerns.

A disappearance amidst contested repatriations

According to his relatives, Sylvain Nyabenda was on a list of people scheduled for repatriation to Burundi. He refused to return and temporarily left the camp for nearby villages before moving to an area occupied by Congolese refugees.

This move followed the destruction and burning of an area previously occupied by Burundians—an operation they denounce as illegal.

His relatives also state that he was suspected of passing information to international human rights organizations. This claim could not be independently verified.

The lack of news since August 21 has fueled his family’s fears that he may have been killed.

“We only ask that he be found alive,” said a relative. For many Burundian refugees, this disappearance revives concerns regarding arrests and the transfer of individuals to Burundi.
The family is calling on Tanzanian authorities to provide information regarding Sylvain Nyabenda’s arrest, his place of detention, and the reasons for his apprehension.