By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Sorrow has engulfed Ungwan Boro community of Kaduna state as the lifeless body of a 33-year-old man, identified as Amos Jatau, was discovered on the road on New Year’s Day eve (December 31,2024).
More painful was that the deceased was within the open premises of a seminary, where he was going for prayers.
Also, the young man had only performed a marriage introduction ceremony on December 20 last year and was gearing up for the nuptials proper to his heartthrob, before he died.
The cause of death remains unknown,but family members suspect foul play as some sticks were found around the body, with the family fearing that he may have been murdered.
Peopleandpolitics.net learned that the body was found near Baptist Theological Seminary School located along Yakowa Way.
When Peopleandpolitics.net initially visited the family house at Nassarawa road, Ungwan Boro Old Market area of Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, it was a heart-rending scene of tears, wailing, sorrowful looks and helpless gestures.
A cousin of the late Jatau, who spoke to our reporter Friday on condition of anonymity at the family house, recalled that the late Jatau was going for prayers when the sad incident occurred.
He said that the body,when initially discovered, was in the seminary school premises with his pillow, a copy of the Bible and some of the clothes he was with all intact, before being reportedly taken to a mortuary.
Narrating how the family knew of his death, the cousin said: “We received call in the evening of 31 December, 2024 to come to the mortuary at Ungwan Boro to confirm the dead body found at the Baptist Theological Seminary. When we went there, we confirmed it was Amos Jatau.
“He was later buried on Friday, 2nd January 2025.
“We gathered that his body was found at the place of prayer at the seminary. We’re yet to know whether he was killed in the area or killed and brought to the place and dumped.
“His properties found around him include his pillow he went with to the prayer place, his Bible and some of his clothes.
“From police report and those who took him to police, they said some sticks were found around his dead body, indicating he was beaten to death.
“The seminary conveyed the body to the mortuary and reported to the police.
“He (Jatau) went there alone to pray. It’s an open place; individuals and groups often go for prayers there.
“There are some bushes around the seminary area located off Yakowa road, behind Jaruwa community, Chikun LGA of Kaduna state. He sometimes goes there to pray. He lived in a place not too far from the Baptist seminary.
“He went for his marriage introduction on 20th of December 2024 in preparation for his marriage. His family house is located on Nasarawa Street, Ungwan Boro Old Market.”
Asked what the reaction of law enforcement agents were on getting news of his death, he said: “Police were unhappy and promised to tighten up security in the area of the seminary when it was reported to them; the seminary people too are not happy.”
Mourning the deceased, neighbours and friends attested to the late Jatau’s character, describing him variously as a complete gentleman and a man that never hurt a fly.
“Amos is a complete gentle person and does not hurt a fly. He is a builder and keeps to his promises; his friends in church testify to his gentility,” another family member said.
Responding to a question on whether the deceased had issues with anyone in his lifetime, the cousin responded: “We’re not aware of him having any issue with anyone or group, but as humans, someone could have issue with him.”
Kaduna state has a long-standing insecurity challenge, a strand of it being tinged with the complexion of religious intolerance.
His cousin added: “Jatau sustained no body injury, except little swollen face and no part of the body missing as to make us to suspect ritual killing.
“The seminary promised to improve security in their area. Government should support them for more security presence in that area and indeed the entire state. Insecurity is in many communities.
“The father (of Jatau) is dead for over 15 years ago. His mother has been down with illness and we managed to inform her of his death.”
Contacted, spokesman of the state Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mansir Hassan, did not respond to calls.
