Clement stood near the police flagpost. He was leaning on the pole conversing with some of his colleagues at work among whom were, Ngozi and Mike.
“Seriously, I am begining to have a second thought about this whole thing.” Ngozi said changing the topic being discussed.
“Second thought about what?” Mike asked.
“This job. My fiance is complaining and am not ready to loose him because of a job which has no security and we call ourselves the security of the state.” She replied.
“I don’t get you.” Clement said.
“Our lives are in danger. Imagine a policeman of Okoro’s calibre killed by the terrorist. Am tired o.” She complained.
“Am disappointed in you Ngozi.” Sergeant Charles said.
“Back to what we were saying before Ngozi’s drama. It seems like the Inspector General is bringing in some men from the FBI to assist us in the intelligence aspect of our work.” Mike said.
“Where did you get that from?” Clement asked.
“I was at the defence ministry today and I saw the men. They are from the capital city, Abuja.” Mike added. Just then a white mercedez benz 190 drove into the police station’s premises. Three men alighted from the car and in a second, the Chief Supritendent of the Area F-command, Haruna came out flanked by his Assistant and Inspector Burahimo. The men spoke in low tones and after a few seconds, they all walked into the building.
“These are the same men I saw at the ministry.” Mike said.
“If I may ask, what’s your business at the ministry?”
“I was asked to come for a clearance alongside some other policemen in the state.” He replied.
“For promotion or what?” Ngozi asked.
“I don’t know.” Mike replied.
“You are being recommended for a transfer man. Maybe to the north or the millitary.” Charles said laughing. Clement was lost in his own thought. Thinking about his career, and everything that is connected to it. The police chiefs bringing in experts from the country’s capital means, something is lacking in the south-west police command.
He has been in the service for many years and he has experience. He has been used on these kind of assignments too. Where he’ll be invited to handle a case alongside some top officers and in the end, he’ll displace the officers handling the case before he was invited.
“I pray its not pay back time.” He thought.
“Clement, where have you been?” Charles asked.
“In the moon.” He replied absent mindedly.
“With Rachy?” Mike asked as they all bursted into laughter. Just then a young constable walked up to them.
“Sir! Your attention is needed at the CSP’s office.” The guy said.
“Okay.” Clement waved him off. The young lad took off to tell the CSP what Clement just told him.
“I’ll be back in few minutes guys.” He said as he made to walk away.
“Time to handover.” The thought of it amused him causing him to giggle as he walked past a group of young femal constables gisting. They have no worries other than come to work and go back home.
+++++The CSP’s office+++++++
The well furnished office was spacious enough to have ten men in it at a time. A big mahogany desk stood with a chair behind it and two visitor’s chair in front of the desk.
On the left of the desk stood a conference table which has six chairs around it and a vase stood on top. CSP Haruna was seated on his seat, his assistant stood behind him as well as Inspector Burahimo. The three visiting FBI men sat on the chair opposite the CSP desk. One chair from the conference table has been added to the two chairs.
“You sent for me?” Clement asked.
“Yes. I did.” Haruna replied. “Going straight to business. We have decided to hand over the terrorist’s case to you permanently and these men will work with you on it. So get yourself acquianted with them and fill them in. Burahimo is going on leave.” The ASP, Mr Babalakin explained.
“Okay sirs.” He affirmed.
“So, do your job.” Haruna enthused.
“This way.” He pointed towards the door as he led the three visiting men out of the office.
****
Joe was seated in the school security complex looking deadly and dangerous. He was arrested for an offence he knew nothing of. Even though he led the group of protesters but he wasn’t the one who gave them the orders to attack the school’s CSO(chief security officer) He was fuming with rage even though, he was not on lockup but he was made to sit down behind the counter desk at the reception.
“Useless boy. Come to school. study, graduate, get a job and live happily. You are here fighting because some students were killed.” One of the officers said. They were all passing comments about him.
“Useless things. You ought to be in the army fighting terrorism. You are here in a univeristy fighting cultism.” The thought of this amused him. The rhyme. (sm) Just then siren could be heard approaching the school gate. And the security complex was located right after the school’s main gate. A convoy of cars numbering up to five drove into the school heading towards the VC’s(vice chancellor) office.
Even though, the vc to be is on sabbattical to Illinos(United stated) and on his return, he’ll be made the vc officially.
“Is that the state governor?” A man in the school security uniform asked his colleague.
“No. I think its the commissioner of education. He is here on the orders of the governor.” His colleague replied.
Twenty minutes later the convoy returned and the state commisioner for education alighted and walked into the security complex requesting to speak with the head of security. And since, Mr Bankole is indisposed to attend to him, they directed him to the deputy CSO’s office.
“I want results. This is the only state university we have in this state and our students should stop dieing. Remember, our motor is ‘sustaining academic excellence.’ Let the academic excellence be sustained by us, and our children. Not killing one another.” The commissioner for education concluded.
“Right about now, we are on it and those killers will be brought to book.” The Deputy CSO assured.
“Thank you for your time.” The commissioner said.
“You are welcome sir.” The deputy CSO saw the honourable commissioner to the parking lot just when some angry protesters barged into the security complex demanding to speak with the commissioner. It took the efforts of the school security and the state’s police to stop the students. Even though they ended up breaking the window of the commissioner’s car before they were sent away as a result of the release of a deadly gas, popularly known as tear gas in the air.
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Immediately he was through with the debriefing of the visiting intelligence officers, he drove down to the university’s permanent site.
“Excuse me, I need to see Mr Bankole.” Clement said to the man seated at the reception. Joe recognising him greeted him and he replied him as cool as he could.
“Mr Bankole is not on seat presently.” The man replied.
“Fine, what about Mr Oye or Mrs Adelakun?” He asked referring to the deputy cso and the next in rank.
“You can’t see him now. You have to wait first.”
“Do you realise who you are talking to at all? Anyways, tell him Inspector Clement wants to see him.” The man who was puching some numbers into the intercom stopped what he was doing and faced Clement.
“Go in sir.” He said. Clement walked in as directed. He pushed the door open and walked into the deputy cso’s office. Mr Oye, the man in office was banding an envelope which was dropped earlier by the honourable commissioner.
“Oh! Mr Clement you are welcome.” He said locking up his drawer.
“Thank you.” Clement said sitting down before being told to do so.
“Hope no problem?”
“Mr Oye. Tell me your position in this school’s security.”
“Me or who?”
“Yes you and the whole security office.”
“We are employed to check the activities of the students and guard the lives and properties, maintain law and order….”
“Thank you very much. Are you checking the student’s activities? No. Are you guading their lives like you said? No. Are you maintaining law and order? No. Mr Oye, we both know you are doing nothing here.” Clement replied.
“Sincerly speaking Mr Clement, we are trying but we can’t fight thin air.” Oye replied.
“You mean it? So the student’s have turned to thin air? Fine, three students have been killed in this school in two weeks. I want result before the end of tomorrow.” Clement said rising up.
“Okay sir.”
“Can I get someone who’ll show me the way to the student affairs complex?” He asked as he walked out of the office with Mr Oye behind him.
****
Clement was seated in the only chair inside the girl’s room. Stephanie, Tolani and Tokunbo another friend of theirs were seated on the bed.
“So tell me all I need to know about yesterday?” Clement who was flanked on the right on his feet was Sergeant Habeeb who has been on the student’s killing case.
“Sir, we all went out, everyone of us excluding Tokunbo. But when we got to the schoolgate, Dolapo said she had to go home and so she left. Tola left us while we were having fun around the school. While Chioma and Darasimi got down from my car to trek home.” Stephanie explained.
“So are you saying, Chioma was not the only one as at the time you dropped them? Who is this Darasimi of a girl?” Habeeb asked.
“Darasimi is a friend. We all went out for reconciliation and I couldn’t drive them home because I am afraid of driving alone at night. If I had known, I would have driven them home and pass the night here.” Stephanie explained.
“The main suspect now is Darasimi. And you said you’ve not heard from her since yesterday?” Habeeb asked.
“Her number is not going through.” Tolani replied.
“We need to know if she is alive or dead too.” Habeeb said to the girls.
“I heard someone say something about reconcilliation the other time. What’s it about?” Clement who has been silent asked.
“We all had a misunderstanding yesterday. Chioma and Darasimi basically. That was why Stephanie stepped in and said we should all go out and have fun.” Tolani replied.
“Tell me more.” Clement urged her.
“The thing started between Dolapo and Darasimi, I intervened but Dara attacked me. Chioma also said something to stop the quarrell but it escalated and Chioma ended up pushing Darasimi violently and she fell against a burning stove.” Tola explained.
“Now I get it. Don’t you think Dara tried to get back at Chioma by killing her?” Clement asked.
“With a gun? Hell no. I know Darasimi very well.” Tolani replied.
“What if she paid someone to carry out the mission?” Clement asked. The girls didn’t say anything, they just kept mute looking at the police officers before them.
“You know what? We’ll go to Darasimi’s lodge. I learnt she lives in Harmony lodge. To be sure if she was hit or not.” Clement said rising up.
“Please do that fast.” Tokunbo spoke for the first time. She was afraid of saying anything because of the popular saying that “anything you say here will be used against you in the court of law.” Clement rose up with his partner and left with a promise that they’ll be back in an hours time.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Darasimi turned the door key for the second time. Sure that she had locked the the door firmly, she picked up her portable travelling bag inside which she had a few of her things, most importantly her clothes. She walked towards the gate with tears welled up in her eyes threatening to spill any moment. Even though she was sure she’ll breakdown before she got to her destination. Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, a state in the south-west of Nigeria, a country in west Africa
“Dara… Dara.” A masculine voice was calling as the person ran to catch up with her. She decided to give the person an audience provided he has something reasonable to say. All she had to spare was two minutes.
“Am sorry about your friend.” Deoye said.
“Thank you.” She replied.
“But who do you think could be responsible for the killing of Chioma in the dead of the night?” He asked.
“Deoye. Can I tell you something?” She asked.
“Yes you can.” He replied smiling.
“I suspect you as the number one killer.” She replied shocking him with his reply.
“Why will you suspect me? Meaning I killed Dayo and Hadiza, my girlfriend too?” He asked.
“I didn’t say that but if the police ask me I’ll tell them you told me to lead Chioma into your hands that fateful night.”
“The fact that I asked you to lead her to me does not mean I killed her.”
“So why did you pay me?” She asked. Deoye kept quiet. His cover seemed to have been blown. Just then the gate opened and two men walked in. Darasimi was quick to recognise one of them as Inspector Clement. She knew they are here for her.
“Don’t say anything about me to the police. You know who I be.” He whispered. “Alright Darsimi. I’ll call you on phone.” He said smiling as he walked away.
“Hello guy.” Habeeb said greeting Deoye.
“Yes boss!” He replied as he walked away leaving Darasimi with the two men.
to be continued–
