It was a set up episode 3

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IT WAS A SET UP (EPISODE 3)

He dropped the call and said to me: “You’ve just gotten yourself into a big trouble”

“Why are you so sure that he took the phone?” Linda asked pointing at me

“I haven’t said so”

“So what are you insinuating,Dr Mike?”

Dr Mike hit his table out of anger

He stood up and the anger in him was visibly seen

“How dare you talk back at me, young woman? Do you think I am your boyfriend? How dare you open that your filthy stinking mouth to spew such rubbish? Go and ask who Dr Mike is. No one gambles with me”

“I am only respecting you because you are my lecturer” Linda added

Just at the heat of that argument, the CSO entered

“What is the problem, Dr?”

“These animals think they can get away with my phone. They stole my phone. Please get my phone for me before I lose my temper”

The CSO turned to us and said: “This school has zero tolerance for thievery; I hope you two are aware of that. This is a clear cut for rustication and subsequent prosecution. So I’m going to ask, where is the phone?”

Those words coolval stories sank into my skull as I remembered what the student’s book said.

“Sir, I swear to God, I didn’t steal any phone”, I said amid tears

Dr Mike began to narrate how the phone got missing and how Linda insulted him for asking for his phone.

We were taken to the CSO’s office

Behind his office was a interrogation room where suspected criminals like us were interrogated

There were men of the Nigeria Police Force too

We were given seats to sit down

The CSO began his interrogation by asking of our names, department and matriculation numbers

We provided him in writing

He then asked what happened and we told him everything

We even told him that the two girls he met at the office were also there when Dr realized his phone was missing

“But he did not mention those girls. In fact, it was those girls that helped him look for the phone. So it is likely that one of you or both of you…”

“Excuse me Sir? Are you suggesting that we stole his phone? What will I be doing with that old calculator?” Linda fired

“Young lady, I will advise you watch your mouth. I am only trying to help here. If this matter gets to the Senate, hmmmm! I don’t think you will be able to withstand”

“And who cares?” added Linda

By that time, the news had already spread like wild fire throughout the campus

Various WhatsApp groups in the campus were already gossiping the news

WhatsApp messages were raining on my phone

Students from our department started coming to the CSO’s office
Calls began to come in too

How did I get involved with the almighty Dr Mike?

He was just a Doctor, but even Professors were afraid of him
He was not only wicked, but devilish too.

I remembered the stories we came to hear about him

How a female final year student accused him of attempting to rape her in his office

The matter was reported to the Senate

On the day of the hearing, the said student died from a ghastly motor accident on her way to the panel

I remembered a final year male student that was abducted for standing up for a female student who was raped by Dr Mike

The young man was never heard of till today

What of the small misunderstanding he had with a visiting lecturer – a Professor?

I was told the Prof suffered from stroke and died a few months later

“I want to go” Linda’s voice brought me back from those thoughts
“Go to where?” the CSO asked

“I have another lecture in the next ten minutes. I can’t stay here”

“You will have to remain here till further instructions”, said the CSO

“For how long, Sir?” I asked

“For as long as the phone still remains with you”

The few students who came to see us started going back to their engagements

At a point, we were denied access to our phones

Two hours later I was led to the interrogation room

There was a table and two chairs on the opposite side of the table

I sat on one of the chairs and about a minute later a man came in and sat on the other chair

“My name is Inspector Anthony of the NPF. Your case is dicey, but you can predict the outcome based on your cooperation”

“I don’t understand, Sir”

“You will”

He stood up, and just as he was about to exit the door, I heard Dr Mike’s voice

I began to think what he was doing there

I knew he came to ensure I paid for his inability to have Linda

But I did not stop him from having his way

I did not even have any idea who Linda was dating

Why would I suffer for something I knew nothing about?

Who was going to fight for me?

I remembered my condition

I lost my father when I was 5

My mother had been the one struggling to look after the four of us

I was the first born

My mother had been sick for a while due to the inhumane treatment from my father’s younger brother

I could not afford her treatment

House rent was a recurring problem to us

To feed was even the worst challenge

But I had to go to school to secure a brighter future

Thank God I met Linda, who became everything to me

She paid part of my fees, paid part of my rent and had been responsible for my feeding for close to a year

I was financially handicapped

Therefore, who was going to help me out from the wicked grips of Dr Mike?

As I was lost in those thoughts, I heard footsteps coming my direction

I turned

Behold, it was Dr Mike.

© Ezekiel Umoren

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