His phone beeped notifying him of a new text message. Stephen Mirror reluctantly picked the phone, expecting nothing exciting.

He had graduated from the university since 2014, his tattered shoes being a testament to his numerous, unsuccessful cases of job hunting.

While at the prestigious Lugard University, Mirror was a very popular figure. He had boasted on several occasions that his height was an indication that he was destined for greatness. He was six foot and six inches tall, light skinned, with a chubby face.

“You’ve been selected for an instant loan…..” were the contents of the text. He sighed and threw his Nokia torchlight phone on the ground. The previous week he had just sold his expensive Samsung Galaxy phone that was sent to him by Uncle Dan. He sold the phone for a meager N30,000. The phone was barely a month old but Charles his friend knew how much he needed money. Uncle Dan had promised him a laptop by month end and it was already two days to the end of April. He would find a way to borrow more money and start up a business centre. At least with that he was sure of a better life. Maybe the sender of that text knew he needed loan.

He thought of what to eat and immediately remembered he was owing Mama Ejima, the woman who sold provisions across the street. In fact, there was nobody around Mirror that he was not owing.

For instance, Okoro had repaired his Television set and he was yet to pay him. Mama Ejima has a notebook where she recorded his credit; the book was almost filled up. Charles too has consistently lent him money every month since he started working at the bank. The house he was staying was paid for by his parents. As the only child, in future he would inherit his parent’s death benefits. Aside his planned establishment of the business centre, the death benefits would significantly change his life. But the inconsistency in payment of such monies might pose another problem.

Mirror's stomach rambled on while he was deep in thoughts. He hoped that the remaining N30 on him would be sufficient. Finally, he decided to visit Charles who must be home by then, as it was already 7.00pm and Charles closes by 6.00pm.

He had no airtime to call Charles but decided to risk it anyway. With N30 he was sure to get to Bishop road, where Charles lived. Afterwards, he wore his brown combats and a Barcelona jersy.

Outside his door, his phone torchlight helped him to locate his worn out foot wear. He passed the corner of Mama Ejima’s store deciding to avoid her. Hopefully neither she nor her twins Peter and Paul would see him, he thought. But he was wrong.

Uncle Mirror! Peter the sharper of the twins called him. He pretended as if he did not hear and then Paul joined in calling him. This attracted their mother who came out. “The children dey greet u na”, she said. “Sorry abeg, I know hear”, he replied. Ejima I dey come back very soon, he shouted back while crossing the road to enter a tricycle. The twins waved excitedly at him as he quickly ran across the road.

At the main road, a tricycle pulled over and he quickly jumped in beside a young guy. ”Bishops road" he said to the driver, ”ok oga” the young Hausa driver replied. Three minutes later, he was at Bishops road. He gave the driver the N30, waited for him to leave, before moving to the direction of Charles house which was not far from the junction.

There was no light as usual, so there were deafening sounds from various generators, providing lights which helped brighten up the area. After three houses, he got to Charles self contain apartment and to his dismay, the place was locked. "Na wa for bank work" he muttered. He decided to go back to the junction and wait for a while. Charles would be back before long, he thought.

At the junction there was a mobile banking shop which had a young lady trying to collect money. She was through in no due time. While trying to put the money that was already in her small purse inside the bag, the purse fell unknowingly to her. She had gone out before he saw the purse. So he picked up the purse, opened it and saw wads of new notes. The money was up to N20,000.

Several thoughts ran through Mirror's mind. Nobody saw him while he picked up the money. He thought of quickly hiding the money in his combats and trekking back home. He thought of giving the money to the mobile bank operator. All these thoughts raced through his mind in split seconds. He decided to put the money in his combats and wait for her to come back. And as soon as he had put the money in his combats, she appeared. She came in the company of two men.

They were walking straight to his direction but he stood and waited as clear conscience fears no accusation. Suddenly he heard shouts of thief! thief! from every corner. It appeared the mob was coming from his back but he still stood without fear. An object like a stone hit his face, the thrower must have targeted him. The shock made him fall on the ground. Before long a mob surrounded him and started beating him up with all manner of things. The purse fell off and the lady shouted see my purse o! That made the beating to increase. They stopped for a while and the men among them went in search of tires and fuel. He then tried to explain to the lady that he was only holding the purse, waiting for her to come.

However, the explanation fell on deaf ears. Charles had arrived at the scene by now but did not recognize who the suspected thief was. Shouts of borrow me tyre! Borrow me fuel!, filled the air. The men needed to borrow the required items needed to burn the thief.

"Oga abeg give us N10 make we buy matches," a young man said to Charles. He dipped in his hand in his trousers and brought out N20. The young man collected the money and quickly went to the nearest shop to buy the matches. Before long Mirror was roasting like Salah ram.

They had borrowed from all corners, including from his friend, in order to burn Mirror. In the midst of the fire and the pains, however, Mirror's gaze fell on Charles but it was too late. Mirror died shortly afterwards - he had been killed on credit, his killers borrowing the items needed for his death.

Ps: this is a typical fiction, depicting the rising wave of jungle justice in Nigeria. It must be discouraged. Jungle justice sometimes might lead to the killing of an innocent soul.

This Story was written by Barrister Nabai Inemugha.


Source: http://facebook.com/nabaialfredinemughaesq