Amazingly in the midst of this confusing and demoralizing situation, I felt unusual peace in my heart. I felt like God was with me in this awkward journey to the Police Station. It felt like God was going to show up at the Station. I held onto my nylon bag on the bike. I was told to carry my nylon bag as there could be an evidence against me in there. I kept crying and pleading with them telling them I was not a thief. “ Does a thief tell you he is a thief?” The first vigilante asked sarcastically. I could smell the offensive Odour of alcohol on both of them. Different thoughts pervaded my mind,as I thought of struggling with them and jumping off the bike, but i could not bring myself up to doing it. I felt like a lamb taken to the slaughter, and right there,it became clear. How Jesus must have felt on the way to the cross. How painful it feels when you are being punished for an offence You didn’t commit. “Was this how disheartening and heart broken Jesus must have felt? Hmm… and yet the world doesn’t appreciate this sacrifice of pain,Yet the world takes Pleasure in mocking his death by not regarding him.” I wondered silently how Jesus must have felt those years I was slaying the destiny of innocent young girls… “ Jesus, I am sorry,for not regarding all you went through because of me,I am sorry for making a mess of the emotional pain you must have felt on the way to the cross. I can imagine how it felt when the nail was driven into your skin,oh! Can anyone describe the pain you must have felt, both physically and emotionally…JESUS! how did you feel when you were crucified for not doing anything evil?” I found myself thinking and asking several questions with tears flowing from my eyes… “ Constable, We have brought another replacement, we are outside” I heard the first vigilante man saying in Hausa language over the phone as we got to the exterior of a police station. They were not aware I understood and spoke Hausa, because of my stay in Kano in my teenage years… “ Replacement?What did he mean by that” I thought silently A police officer came out and spoke to the first vigilante in Hausa… “ The DPO thought you were going to disappoint, the parents of the boy have been calling us night and Day, but hope none of the family members of this one knew when you took him?” The police officer said in Hausa. “ No, I believe this one is a stray dog,in fact he is homeless, we saw him on the street..” The vigilante said “Ok good!” “ Our Balance!” The vigilante asked “ That will be after this one has been sentenced to death, and the parents of the boy have successfully sent him abroad” the police officer said… I was about to be a replacement for a criminal who probably was from a wealthy home. I was about to die the death of someone else. “ Oh my God!” I exclaimed in Hausa as the Police Officer was taking me in after the Vigilantes had left The Police Officer was Shocked… “ You are Hausa?” He asked in Hausa “ No, I am Igbo but I lived in Bukavu Barracks in Kano when I was younger, my father was a soldier” I replied in Hausa language “ Ha!, I am from Kano too, in fact my place is very close to Bukavu…What were you doing outside by this time?, My brother, you are about to die for another person…” the police officer said in bitterness He was obviously unhappy at the turn of events… “ I would have released you to run for your life, but the DPO is waiting for you inside. He is a man who likes money, and unfortunately he has been paid heavily by the family of the boy that killed someone…” “ Constable!” The DPO shouted from a distance… “ Sir!” “ What is keeping you?, where is he?” “Coming right away Sir!” “ My brother, don’t speak Hausa to anyone in there, I pray Almighty Allah will help you!” The police man took me closer to the DPO… “ So you are the one that killed Chief Jakande’s only daughter?” The DPO Said barking at me… “ No sir, I was just picked off…” I tried to say “Shut up, Shut up, if you say anything I thunder you now” He said pointing a gun at me… The Hausa policeman slapped my face real hard… “ I said keep quiet, you are the one who killed her….” he said “ Go lock him up and bring out the innocent boy” The DPO said as he walked towards his car… “I will be back in the morning” “ Hello ma, good evening ma, Glory to God, the Original culprit has been found, you can come over to the station tomorrow to pick your son. Don’t mention, our job is to fight crime, and make sure justice prevail”I heard the DPO say to someone over the phone… Everything was beginning to look real to me. It seem like the demons from hell meant serious business. If I kept quiet things might really go bad… I started muttering to myself… “ Lord, this place is a mountain-like obstacle to the great destiny you have for me, I refuse to be in prison in Jesus name” “ Musa, make sure he writes his statement correctly” the DPO said as he zoomed off “ Hey, can you write?” the other police officer at the counter asked I nodded in the affirmative and looked at the Hausa Police Officer who instantly looked away from me… “Why are you looking at him? You know him?” The police officer asked “ Know Who?” The Hausa Officer said denying me and walked away “ Listen to me, you will write as I say” I nodded. “ I ……, insert your name…. Good, continue …. is responsible for the death of the…” He said I stopped writing… “ If you don’t write, we will kill you and no one will know, but if you play this game, you get to go to jail for some years and when you are out, you will be handsomely paid…!, so what is your choice? “ God, Why all these troubles?” I wanted to scream as I didn’t know what answer to give… To be continued
