Life On Campus

Episode 12

Jay-Jay and Edith went to see Betty the next
morning. “Good morning officer” Jay-Jay greeted
the police
officer sitting behind the counter. “morning”
“Please is the D.P.O in?” Jay-Jay asked . “Yes.”
“okay please, we would like to see Betty Amah,
but
I’d want to speak to the D.P.O first.”
Jay-Jay told him “you can see Betty Amah, but
you can’t the D.P.O” the
policeman replied. “Listen officer, I need to see
him, its urgent.” Jay-Jay
was trying to sound cool. “You deaf? Abi kosko
dey worry you? I say you no fit
see the D.P.O” the police man said impatiently.
“I’m not deaf, I heard you, okay can we see Betty
Amah now?” Jay-Jay was really putting on his
best
composure. “Wetin be your name?” the police
officer made to
right their names. “Jacob Robert,”
“Jacobu….Robat…” The policeman pronounced the
name before writing it down. Jay-Jay rolled his
eyes. “You nko?” he pointed at Edith. “Edith
Oluwadamilare Ibukunbowa.”
Edith replied
fastly. “Abeg write am yourself, the name too
long.” He
passed the book to her. “So Jacobu…” he started
“Jacob please.” Jay-Jay cut him short.
“or you call me Jay-Jay.” he added sensing the
policeman was offended. “Wetin dey worry you
sef? Mtchew! Oya pass
something” the police stretched forth his hand.
“What?” Jay-Jay looked confused. “wetin? Pass
money for minerals na,” he eyed Jay-Jay. “I’m
sorry, I don’t give bribes” Jay-Jay shook his head.
“See this one o, that means you never ready to
see
her be that” the police said sitting down. “You
dare not stop me!” Jay-Jay voice was now a
scowl.
“See dis one o, you come police station come dey
form agbero…I go soon throw you for cell.” He
eyed
Jay-Jay the upteenth time.. “Let’s see who gets
into the cell first, either the
agbero or the police.” Jay-Jay snapped as he
made to
walk into the inner part of the station. “Stop! Else
I’ll shoot!” Another police man said from
behind him. Jay-Jay turned round, his eyes blood
shot.
“Shoot? With what? That empty thrash you call a
gun? Shoot if you want, I’m not scared of
bullets.” “Who you be self?” other policemen were
now
emerging. “I’m me, Jay-Jay!” “Sharrap! Agbero!
Throw this thing inside cell” a
senior police officer shouted. “Don’t dare touch
me! A blood gets spilled here, and
now.” Jay-Jay glared at some policemen rushing
at
him. “Hey! What the heck is going on here?”
Rotimi
Badmus the D.P.O said coming out of his office.
The police men quickly supplied some infos.
“Young man, this is a Police station, you shouldn’t
make trouble here.” Rotimi told Jay-Jay sternly.
“I’m not here for trouble, I’m here to see you” Jay-
Jay
replied. “See me?” Rotimi asked.
Jay-Jay nodded in the affirmative. “Come into my
office.” Jay-Jay beckoned to Edith and they
followed the
D.P.O. “Sit down.” Rotimi motioned them to sit.
“Thank you” Edith and Jay-Jay chorused. “So
whats your name and why do you want to see
me?” Rotimi asked Jay-Jay. “I’m Jay-Jay” he
won’t risk his name to be ill-
pronounced again. “I’m Rotimi; the D.P.O, so why
do you want to see
me?” Jay-Jay looked around, the office was
bugged. Though
the bugging deviced seem hidden, but his hawk
eyes
saw them all. “I’m here to discuss something with
you, about a
prisoner you have behind the bars…” Jay-Jay said
carefully. “Uhumm” “Her name is Betty Amah.” he
stoped to see Rotimi’s
expression. “Oh…” Rotimi corked an eyebrow. “I
don’t know if you’ve found out anything about her
case,” he said finally.
“Errm, Mr Jay-Jay right?” Rotimi started, Jay-Jay
nodded. “You see for now, she is the prime
suspect, that why
we’ve refused her bail. To worsen the situation,
the
body of Emeka was declared missing….errrm,
though
we don’t have much evidence against her…”
Rotimi
said. “So what efforts have you made in the
investigations?” Jay-Jay asked. “Beg your
pardon?” “I mean, are you just sitting down here
waiting for
the killer to fall from heaven? Are you just gonna
detain an innocent girl?” Jay-Jay could hear his
voice
rising, he quickly checked himself. “I’m soryy, no
insult intended but…but you need to
work harder.” Jay-Jay added. Rotimi kept mute,
this boy has the guts! “When are they gonna do
the hearing in court?” Jay-
Jay asked.
“Next 41 days.” Rotimi replied, he was observing
Jay-
Jayclosely. “Limited time…” Jay-Jay whispered
“I’l make sure I try my best to get the real killer
atleast before those days come by.” He muttered.
“What your relationship with the girl?” Rotimi
couldn’t
help asking. “She is…is..is.. She is my sister.”
Jay-Jay stuttered. “Its like we’ve met before, can’t
remember where we
met.” Rotimi stated. “Yea, we have, I’m Jay-Jay…”
he made more
emphasis on his name. “Jay-Jay?” Rotimi asked
as if to be sure.
He knew Jay-Jay, a notorious cultist! Efforts
made to
arrest him years before seemed abortive cos no
one
could dare him. “From Federal university…” “Yea!”
Jay-Jay cut him short.
“I need to leave now.” he added quickly. “Okay”
Rotimi stood up. “See you at the court of justice,”
Jay-Jay shook his
hand. “We’ll try our best.” Rotimi assured him.
Jay-Jay and Edith left the office, he was
determined
to get the culprit.
He didn’t mind travelling all the
states in Nigeria. He didn’t go in to see Betty, he
sent words through
Edith to her. The last thing he would want to see
now
is Betty crying her eyes out.
Poor girl! He thought. Always in tears. ay-Jay
drove into his house gently, he’s just coming
back from a northern state; Kaduna state to
precise.
He’d gone there to get some news from the “3
skull
group”. The evening breeze was blowing cool, His
boys were
waiting for him, all dressed for a journey, all in
their
uniforms- black jackets.
The Black Toyota Hiace was
packed outside. “Any news?” he asked Tiger, he
had sent Tiger to
OKO polythecnic earlier on. “Yea, them say na the
girl o.” Tiger replied. “same here!” Rox chirped
rolling his weed, he also
came back from Ibadan that morning. “The
problem is… We know the girl, but we don’t
know where she is.” One of the boy’s called
Blackey
said in despair. He too came back from Delta the
night before. “We know where she is…” Jay-Jay
was smiling.
The whole group gaped at him.
.”that’s my boss…but where?” Tiger was smiling
too. “That girl was too fast, she is in Kano.” Jay-
Jay
replied with a low laugh “Kano? But the girl strong
o, that far place?” Blackey
said humourously. “We are leaving for Kano now.”
Jay-Jay told the boys
who nodded in agreement. “Rox, get me my
Jacket. Tiger go to my room, you’l
find a bag of money, bring it please we need
some
money on us, Blackey get enough drinks for the
journey …”
Jay-Jay shouted orders at them. Jay-Jay quickly
had a shower and they were ready to
move. He assigned more than half of his boys to
stay
back, just incase… He, Tiger, blackey, Rox and 4
other boys filed out of
the house towards the waiting black Hiace..
Tiger took the wheels, he was the best in driving
at
such situations. “Those Northerner’s are gonna
see things…” Rox
sucked his weed. “Leave the Northerner’s out of
this o, remember she
is not an Northerner, but an Igbo girl, okwaya?”
Jay-
Jay replied before sinking into his sit, he was
damn
tired.

---

The Journey to Kano was hitch free, they arrived
by
10 o’clock in the morning, and that was because
they
stoped in Kaduna to pick up Scally- the leader of
the
“3 skull group”.
Scally knew all the nooks and cranny
of Kano city, so he’d be of great assistance to
them. They drove straight to Sabongari and
lodged in one of
the hotel there. They decided to launch their
attack
by evening.
Jay-Jay retired to sleep, while Scally, Tiger and
the
rest played cards. By 5pm that same evening they
drove to the target
hotel. G-Gal was attending to one of her
numerous Alhajis
with pot-belly. She was definitely gonna extract
not
less than #200,000 from him.. Kpa! Kpa!! She
heard the sound of gunshots.
“What was that?” she asked the Alhaji, rubbing his
pot-belly “i does not mind zem, flease. It is one
of zose poolish
folice feofle.”
The Alhaji replied in a thick Hausa
accent. Jay-Jay was at the wheels, they drove
into the hotel.
The got down, he, Scally and Tiger sauntered
towards
the receptionist, while the remaining boys took
care
of the environment. They enquired of G-gal.
“Room 59″ the receptionist replied shaking like a
wet
chicken. The kicked the door open. G-Gal froze as
she saw
them.
This must be a bad dream she thought.. Tiger
pulled her unclad body roughly out of the bed.
He pressed a gun on her head.. “Hey don’t!” Jay-
Jay stopped him,
“not yet!”
“Now missy, follow us quietly, any noise from you,
will cost your life.!” He warned her. “Now stand up
and move!” Scally kicked her unclad
butt. “Sorry for the disturbance Alhaji.” Jay-Jay
laughed at
the Alhaji who was already sweating.
“Move this thing,” he ordered.
They pushed, kicked and slaped G-Gal towards
the
waiting Hiace. “Get inside! Isi Ewu!” tiger pushed
her roughly into
the bus. “Cover her with something.” Jay-Jay
muttered. Blackey threw a blanket over her body.
“Now stay calm!” Rox whispered sitting beside. He
brought out his gun and wiped some imaginary
dirt
off it. “Move!” Jay-Jay ordered, and they drove
off.
Jay-Jay sighed heavily.
Damn! He felt fulfilled, atleast
Betty won’t be sentenced to Jail tomorrow.