The city of Gitega is shaken by the mysterious abduction of NDUWAMUNGU Jean de Dieu, a 49-year-old citizen, by intelligence service agents. His family and loved ones are deeply worried, having no information about his whereabouts or health.
🔶 Who is NDUWAMUNGU Jean de Dieu?
Originally from Nyatubuyi village, Mugamba commune, Bururi province, NDUWAMUNGU Jean de Dieu had settled in Gitega for professional reasons. He lived in the Birohe neighborhood with his wife and four children. A former soldier, he served in the 3rd commando battalion with the rank of adjutant.
In 2015, he was arrested and imprisoned on accusations of participating in attacks on military camps. After several years of detention, he successfully contested these charges and was released in 2021. Since his release, he has lived a civilian life, running a small independent business, with no ties to the army following his dismissal.
🔶 Circumstances of the Abduction
On 20 February 2025, NDUWAMUNGU Jean de Dieu was preparing to go to Melchior NDADAYE Airport in Bujumbura to meet a friend returning from abroad. To facilitate the trip, he had rented a vehicle in Gitega.
Between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m., as he left the provincial capital, he was intercepted by intelligence service agents near the BRARUDI depot. According to witnesses, he was arrested on the spot and taken to an unknown location. Since then, his family has had no news, and all efforts to locate him have failed.
Later that evening, around 8:30 p.m., the agents went to his home in a white double-cabin vehicle with no windows, accompanied by four plainclothes police officers. They searched the house but took nothing, then left with NDUWAMUNGU.
🔶 Growing Concern
Since the abduction, his relatives have contacted local authorities and intelligence services in Gitega but received no information. This has raised serious concerns about the citizen’s safety.
Call for Authorities’ Intervention
In light of this alarming disappearance, the family and relatives of NDUWAMUNGU Jean de Dieu are calling on the Burundi Police (@Burundi_Police) to help determine his location and ensure his safety.
Additionally, the organization King Umurundi Freedom is urging the National Independent Human Rights Commission (CNIDH) to closely monitor this case and ensure the citizen’s rights are respected.
This case raises serious questions about the protection of human rights in Burundi and calls on the authorities to ensure transparency and accountability within the security services.