In a shocking incident in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, a dismissed soldier and his accomplice have been apprehended for the brutal murder of a Keke NAPEP rider, James Luka.Â
The horrifying crime took place in the Polo area of Maiduguri, where the duo chartered Luka’s Keke NAPEP before luring him to the Kasuwan Fara (Grasshopper Market) area, where they killed him and buried his body in a shallow grave.
The incident unfolded on a Monday when the dismissed soldier and his friend hired Luka’s Keke NAPEP. Unbeknownst to Luka, the ride would be his last.
The two men took him to the Kasuwan Fara area, where they carried out their gruesome plan, murdering Luka and hastily burying his body in a shallow grave.
The deceased’s brother, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed the tragic event. He explained that the family had been frantically searching for Luka after he failed to return home from his daily work as a Keke NAPEP rider.
 “We started looking for my brother, Luka, on Monday when he didn’t come back from his usual Keke NAPEP business.
“We reported his disappearance to the police and checked all the hospitals, but there was no trace of him until today,” he said.
The breakthrough in the case came when some vigilant residents, suspecting foul play, spotted the dismissed soldier and his friend washing Luka’s Keke NAPEP, which was stained with blood.
 Their suspicions were reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the two men. During interrogation, they confessed to the murder and revealed the location of Luka’s body.
Following their confession, the police, accompanied by officials from the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA), were led to the shallow grave where Luka’s body was exhumed. His grieving family later laid him to rest at the GRA Christian Cemetery.
This tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the need for greater vigilance and security to prevent such heinous crimes.
The family of the deceased, along with concerned citizens, are calling for justice to be served to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
The community continues to mourn the loss of James Luka, a hardworking man whose life was brutally cut short.
As investigations continue, the hope is that justice will be swiftly delivered, bringing some solace to his grieving family.
