Dismissed Soldier, Friend Kill Tricycle Rider As Police Arrest 97 For Protests In Borno

A dismissed soldier and his friend have killed a Tricycle rider, James Luka, of Polo area of Maiduguri, and buried him in a shallow grave in Kasuwan Fara area of the Borno State state capital city.

The dismissed soldier and his friend were said to have chartered the Keke rider on Monday, but ended up killing him and burying him in a shallow grave.

Confirming the incident to journalists on Sunday in Maiduguri, the brother of the deceased victim, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the late Luka carried the suspects, who chartered his tricycle to Kasuwan Fara where they killed him and buried him.

“We have been looking for our brother Luka since on Monday when he went out for his normal Keke NAPEP business but couldn’t return. We reported to the police and went round the hospitals , but couldn’t have any information about him until today.

“The dismissed soldier and his friend met their waterloo when some good samaritan sighted them washing the Keke NAPEP with blood stain, where they suspected them and reported to the police. On interrogation, they confessed to have killed him and buried him in shallow grave in Kasuwan Fara area.

“After the confession, they took the police to the grave where we exhumed the body with the help of the officials of BOSEPA. As I am speaking to you, we are just coming back from GRA Christian cemetery where we buried him,” he narrated.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Police Command, on Saturday, paraded 96 suspects who were arrested between Thursday, August 1 and Saturday, August 10, during the nationwide hunger protests, over alleged violence, looting, theft and foreign flag hoisting in Maiduguri and environs.

CP Yususfu Lawal, who disclosed this to journalists at the Police Crack Office in Maiduguri, added that the Command while in active collaboration with other security agencies, took proactive measures that mitigated the breakdown of law and order intended by the unguided miscreants who took advantage of the protests to carry out their nefarious acts.

Represented by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Kenneth Daso, the Commissioner of Police said before the protests, while monitoring the cyber space, seven suspects who are social media influencers, were arrested for instigating their social media followers to carry arms and perpetrate violence across the state and insulting top government officials, clerics and traditional leaders.

Similarly, he said during the protests, seven suspects were found hoisting foreign flags, which was perceived to jeopardise the sovereignty of the nation and a threat to national security.

The CP explained further that 83 of the suspects were arrested at various locations within the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) for vandalising public and private properties, committing mischief by burning of tyres and plastics on roads, rioting, and looting of items from roadside stores, shops.

He said damages recorded included vandalisation of WFP warehouse at Baga Road and looting of offices and food items, removal of interlocks, flower vessels, streetlights and pedestrian bridge barricades at Bulumkutu and Lagos street of Maiduguri.

He said at Gwange and Baga Road area, there were cases of breaking of vehicle glasses, and burning of tires on major routes, vandalising offices and vehicles at Mechanical workshop and looting of items at UNHRC facility on Baga Road, among others.

CP Lawal said the command remained committed in ensuring public peace and security through high-level professionalism and quality service delivery, urging members of the public to report any suspicious activity within their domains to the police.