Capital Crime

Capital crime episode 6

Capital Crime Episode 6
Lagos Airport, Saturday, 6:55PM
Reporter KELECHI
I had followed up the latest news and trends and was still fascinated that the news of the senators arrival and that of the mysterious lady had not surfaced online.
Does it mean I am privy to such info? I thought and tapped away on the steering wheels. I had been a blog photographer for years now but have never really realized my true calling- a top notch journalist.
As I tapped , my other arm flickered and flipped the contents displayed on my iPhone.
I had followed the convoy from a reasonable distance up untill the airport where my car broke down again. Eventually managed to push it off the traffic while waiting for my mechanic. Ages now, and the man seemed really pre-occupied.
I chuckled to a story I was reading on Nairaland platform . A young student of University Of Benin was pictured tied up and bound with electric wires. The said student had been accused of collecting NEPA bill from his Co – tenants in his off K hostel and wasted the money on gambling. He had lost everything to virtual sports on bet9ja platform.
In effect , his neighbors gave him to NEPA officials as payment for the bills after he had received beating of his life and brain formatting slaps.
A caption was imprinted on the photo as such“ When you play Alabi with strongmen’s money and you loose. Just know that you are lost forever”
I read through comments, cracking up my ribs with laughter. Some people were praying for the young man to be freed from his village people . Some said it was God’s will. “Can you imagine?” I exclaimed. “Ah!” When I saw a comment “ Chai another Buharideen on a leash..aboki infested mumu”
Nigerians are really savage.
The trolling was endless and many
others: well , like me, was just here to read comments and laugh.
I was tempted to upload the pictures I had taken earlier. But then I stopped and pushed the car’s door. I needed fresh air.
A group of men were coming out of the arrival terminal . At the same time Lagos State patrol and police officer came swarming into the area like bees. Something’s wrong. I thought and joined a handful of puzzled on Lookers and wondered what had happened.
★★
MATTHEW
Itoro Abasi and my humble self arrived Lagos on a commercial airliner. Inspector Al Alhassan had informed the State patrol and district police of our arrival. It was arranged that the meeting should be of Paramount importance.
I had no idea what to expect but I had been briefed on board the plane through a SAT phone. I met with the CP’s assistant who told me that a distress call had come from a hotel waiter and that a former police officer was shot. He survived miraculously.
“ Is he an SS agent? Itoro interjected when the uniformed officer dished out the info . He replied and mentioned the officer’s name.
“ Oh! Old Johnny Aremu”. I retorted.
I lit a cigarette and breathed in the cold night’s air before inhaling the tobacco smoke. “ The old boy took a bullet? Where is he now?
“ His shoulder was banged pretty bad. He has been called by the DSS headquarters for debriefing. He left just a minute ago before your arrival and now air borne to Abuja with a medical personnel who is attending to him“
Itoro took notes. He observed. I carefully looked around for details. The police had installed a road block. No car went in or out of the premises , people were perturbed, discriminately searched and scrutinized. Just then, I noticed a young man staring at me. In affirmation to my instincts, I nodded and exhaled hot air, my windpipe was on a cruise as I took another draw of the cigar.
“ Itoro ! ” The lad came. I continued“ I just found a likely suspect”
I showed him the man who looked more like a photographer with his iPhone. He was taking random pictures. He stood next to a car and narrated to an officer who asked him to park his car well.
“ He does not look like any. I think he is just a concerned citizen”
“ Rule no1. Itoro! Everyone’s a suspect. Including us. Never skip that part. Including us“
I returned to the CP’s debriefing. Asked him a lot of things and especially, the time the plane had left ,the registration and the where exactly it went off radar.
“ The plane never left” The man began “ It’s still in the hanger. It was diagnosed with mechanical issues but the truth is that the engine was tampered with”
“ The engineers?
“Disappeared. Likely on the plane that left”
“ Which plane? I asked.
I inhaled another round, looking confused ”I thought you said-”
“ A jet registered by an anonymous name with an offshore account. It’s an Airbus 250. Taxes are paid by a Swiss bank. We can’t track it to any individual”
“ With all the techs you posses?
“ We are under-equipped and understaffed sir-‘
“ No..no …don’t start that chapter on me about how the government is not doing well in terms of -”
“ Sir, all I am trying to say is : only the D.S.S would have such gadgets. Yet I doubt they , you know , ” He shrugged.
“ By God- ” I swore “ I love this country”
And then continued“ The agents on board?
“ Ghostworkers. We have records of two. One white man and the other a Black individual. The rest, no trace of data anywhere, all erased. Even the pilot’s presumed a suspect but I doubt he is one of them. We ran a background check and we found out that his family had been murdered- today- all of them. ” He paused “These plotters must be really smart”
“ Damn! I’d give them that. They upped their game.”
“ Excuse me-” The CP ‘s assistant said as he turned to collect a phone from his junior staff“ Acting CP here.” He trailed off a little.
My thought raced off widely. It dawned on me that we were chasing the wind. Another thing struck my fancy about the fact that the CP’s Assistant was a doubting breed.
“ We have a problem , Sir” the man returned.“ A jet has just crashed in Lokoja.” His eyes were red with shock.
I felt empathy trickling down my spine.
“ What are we up against here? The man said “ Sir? ”
“ What’s your name? ” I asked not in a haste to draw conclusions.
“ Thomas. Sir”
No wonder. The thought flashed in my head.
“ I have no idea now. We’ll find out soon” I replied the man’s question.
“ What’s the registration of the jet?
“ it’s an Airbus 250 , sir!”
I became dumbfounded.
My P.A returned after asking the photographer a few questions. Itoro said the man had opened up to him and plainly said “ he was just a photo blogger , who’s car broke down on the wrong side of the road at the wrong time. Badluck saw him at the airport this night to take pictures”
“ Good!
I reached for my phone, took it out of my coat and dialed the inspector’s number.
I acknowledged the CP’s ( Commisioner of Police) Assistant as the man left to question airport personnel.
My boss, the inspector General, was sympathetic on the phone when called me back to the capital that same night.
“ But we just got here”
“ What’s the situation on ground?
“ The jet is gone. Death row. I presume-”
“ Yes we know of that fact- the girl’s father is on our necks. He is even threatening the President. Imagine!”
“ I can imagine his pain sir. But threatening the President? That’s far. Its tantamount to treason in all ramifications”
He says it was a wrong decision to have allowed the DSS take charge of his guard and that of other expatriates.
“ Speaking of which-‘ I cut in” The database of the so called agents have been wiped out. We have a mole. And it hurts to say this sir, but I think we are chasing blank theories here. Our best bet, A.J and he was assaulted by the terrorists. Lucky for us, he is still alive. ”
The convo ended with Alhassan requesting my presence in the Capital.
Itoro enquired about the the content of the call. I gave him a warm shrug and looked intently into the eyes of the blogger who stood at a reasonable distance.
“ Tell him not to post my pictures on any site or blog. Else I’ll sue him to violating my privacy ” I paused“ I have a feeling he knows more than he is sharing. He’d better not play with us”
“ He won’t. I guarantee. Besides this case is still classified. The public has no idea what’s really going on. The officers and security men have been strictly warned against reeling out info to the press”
“ Did you get his contact address?
“ Yes I did ”
I drew the last of the cigar stick and stamped on its buffer when it touched the ground. Then nodded in appraisal. “ Gear up boy! We are going back to Abuja”
“ Arrrrghhhh. This night? What for?
I glanced at the blogger one last time then paced toward the airport entrance while my P.A followed closely.
“ The President demands my presence. We going to the squared office. ”
★★★
ABUJA. 10:20 PM
I arrived the Aso Villa and was asked to wait outside by the President’s S.A ( Security Adviser)We had left Lagos at about eight -twenty pm. I checked my wrist watch, it was ten twenty pm.(10:20pm).
I had been waiting for ten minutes- which seemed like forever- after which I was called upon.
“ Detective? ” The S.A began “ the President will grant you audience now. Please follow me”
We left the A.C blown lounge and went through a corridor leading toward the Squared office. The AC installations on every corner of the building made me shiver, having no idea what to expect but I knew I was up for some lashing and tongue battle , questioning too. I hoped against hope that it wouldn’t be so.
When we arrived, an armed military guard at the door paved way for our entrance. The S.A knocked.
“ Come in please” A male, word commanding voice acknowledged.
The knob of the door’s handle twisted and in seconds we were both standing in the squared office.
in,side it, a middle aged man in uniform stood at the right corner of the large office. Towards the left of the office on a well decorated cushion and table to match, sat another man: chocolate and handsome, even at his age of fifty two. He had a semi round face. His brown eyes sparkling as he poured himself a glass of whiskey.
At the centre of the office, on the floor was a well crafted piece of art in marble tiles that actually depicted the Nigerian coat of arms in golden and silver stripes. My eyes trailed this beauty , then forward , and finally arrived at the desk on the north side of the room.
Across the desk, someone sat but the figure backed the men in the room and ofcourse the S.A.
“ Your excellency” I acknowledged the handsome man on the left.
He waved casually. That meant peace to me. First impressions always mean a lot.
“ Inspector, sir” I shook the other man on uniform.
“ Thank goodness you came, Panshark ” My boss, the IGP ,Mr Alhassan said and sighed a relief.
It was his voice we heard earlier.
I acknowledged the man with a nod. The S.A said to the President, after she cleared her throat“ Excuse me, your excellency” she began while directing her attention to the one who sat across the desk.
I looked to the windows on the left and the moon was at an observatory position, high up in the skies. The window’s interior frames were beautifully adorned with green and purple curtain blinds at the edges- pulled and hooked – Each had embroidery of marvellous designs.
“ Your excellency? The S.A began, again“ Detective Matt Panshark is here. Just as you ordered”
The President turned and stared intently into my face. There was a spark of hope, something like relief on her’s. My confidence level dropped forty bars below. Madam President was without doubts a very beautiful woman , even at her age of forty-nine.
Bukky Alakara retained her seat as president after the assassination attempt on her life.
It had been 12 months ago, by the kingpin Raymond Ajayi.
Many critics were of the opinion that she had staged the attempt on her life to garner sympathy. The revolution attempt by the terrorists was averted, she nearly died while fighting for her life in the hospital. Every criminal the government could lay hands on in the past were put away. Her government enjoyed peace up until this moment and she needed a resolution to this latest crisis as the nation and a disturbed ambassador Green was in no doubt mounting pressure on her to act speedily.
She stood up from her seat and picked up a remote control. She was dressed in a smart native regalia that highlighted her feminine uniqueness as she walked towards the centre of the office with ease and comfort.
“ Have you seen the news, Matthew? She said calmly.
“ Yes Ma’am, I-”
She pressed a button and the tv above the entrance to her office, came on. There was a news of the airline jet that crashed in Lokoja. Although it was very late at night, the news had been the headlines on every channel since the evening. She stopped changing channels.
“ Why is my administration under siege from terrorism, Matthew? Her words were calm and calculated.
I had no immediate explanations. Neither did my superior, Al Hassan.
“ You may leave now, Samantha” President Bukola said to her S.A “And you, sit down” she gestured towards me and Inspector Al Hassan.
 
Tbc

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