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And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by AbiolaFawole(m): 5:10pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
He went into an eerie state, after a hard
day’s work, stretching himself on his camp
bed. His heart shook violently and beads
of sweat covered his forehead, but
eventually fell asleep.
The theatre commander in Maiduguri, Gen.
Charlie was furious all day about earlier
events, as he sat for dinner in his half-lit
shack before retiring for a short rest.
He tried as much as possible to cast his
mind off the unfortunate violent encounter
between some of his men and the police in
Dama.
“We are all here for a common mission; to
protect our people.” “So, how can we be
fighting ourselves?”
“What would Madawaki Soja think; what
impression have we created about us to
him?
Entirely in another world, Captain Sabo
knocked and entered. “Evening Sir,” he
greeted, standing erect in the usual military
fashion.
Gen. Charlie stared at him in the face and
replied almost inaudibly, “Evening, and
what can I do for you, officer?” he asked.
“Permission to make bonfire in the camp,
sir,” the Captain replied.
His boss waved at him gently, signifying
his approval. The junior officer saluted and
hurried out.
Gen. Charlie relapsed back to his sickening
thoughts. “Perhaps, we have over stayed in
this Boko Haram insurgency war,” he said.
“And we are still scheming to execute the
last part of this national assignment; to
capture their leader, Abubakar Shekau.”
“But he cannot escape us,” “We shall
capture him and parade him alive to
Nigerians before we hand him over for
prosecution,” he said with arms in the air.
This feeling gave Gen. Charlie some relief.
He felt how excited Nigerians would be at
his capture. They would be happier than
the day the notorious armed robber, Anini
was captured. We shall get him and soon
too.
He now remembered that a little boy had
hinted that Shekau was badly wounded
during soldiers’ invasion of Sambisa forest.
But he escaped and was receiving
treatment at the home of a local herbalist
in Timbulo village, a border community in
Niger. He was secretly trailed, but had
relocated to an unknown destination.
“We shall intensify the search, this week,”
he muttered aloud.
He stood up, grabbed his pistol and headed
for the door, as his body guards rushed
behind him. He went to the venue of the
bonfire carnival in the camp and addressed
troops. He sent various battalions out on
night surveillance and patrols in different
locations.
When the first batch of troops returned the
next day to replenish; the second had
already taken over from them.
The Battalion led by Col. Asabo strayed
into the neighboring Niger republic beyond
Timbulo village under the cover of the
MNJTF. A local resident had informed of
suspected terrorists camp, some 60
kilometers east of Timbulo village. But
Nigerien soldiers refused to accompany
them.
Timbulo itself was a deserted, swampy,
greenish mesh of vast lands in the desert
nation. For hours as they traversed the
fields, only birds in the air whispered.
Trees and grasses blossomed all year
round. It was difficult to sight a hamlet,
much more a settlement. These isolated
hamlets were shelters of professional
hunters, who sometimes spend months in
the forests hunting their game for money.
Each of the hamlets had foodstuff and
stockpiled meat, occasionally exported into
town.
Col. Asabo met a hunter in one of the
hamlets and engaged him in a friendly
discussion.
“Sanu, Mai gida,” the Colonel greeted.
The hunter, answered, “Sanu fa, yayah
aiki?”
The discussion continued in Hausa
vernacular. Through it, the soldiers were
made to understand the village was called
Bolu and aside hunters, even government
forest officials dreaded the terrain and
never bothered to enforce the law on game
reserve in Bolu. It is a complete hunters’
paradise.
But through him, Nigerian soldiers were
made to understand there was a great
medicine man further down the valleys. He
was not easily accessible, but once you
reach him, it is the end of whatever
predicament. Soldiers pleaded with him to
lead them to his home. He accepted.
Soldiers sensed that approaching the place
in daylight might cause any prey to escape
or fight back tenaciously. So, tactically,
they delayed the journey till dusk; had
refreshments together with the hunter. The
old man in his late forties began to enjoy
the company of soldiers.
Col. Asabo had a feeling that if Shekau
was really wounded, he might possibly be
in the herbalist home. He radio messaged
the theatre commander in Maiduguri about
the new mission and requested for
extension of time for the return of back-up
troops. Gen. Charlie granted the request.
At dusk, the hunter led the soldiers. The
advance team decided to go on foot to a
certain point, while military trucks trailed
behind at a distance. Though, it was like a
life journey, in the thick darkness of the
night, to get to the great herbalist home,
but the journey was energized and
shortened with the lively tales of the
hunter.
A kilometer to the herbalist yard, its
occupants sensed the approach of alien
bodies, as powerful torch lights beamed at
their direction. A gunshot was fired in the
air. And Col. Asabo instantly decoded its
strength as beyond what mere hunters
would possess for game hunting.
He barked orders to his troops to spread
round hamlet. Soldiers instantly complied
with military precision. He safeguarded the
hunter by putting him in one of the military
trucks.
In no time, they surrounded the hamlet,
and the shooting from the antagonistic
forces intensified. Soldiers replied, as the
occupants who numbered roughly 15 knew
they were in danger. Some attempted to
sneak an escape but ran into the ambush
of Nigerian soldiers.
Within 40 minutes, soldiers had captured
and demobilized scores of the shooters,
invaded the hamlet, and arrested the
herbalist and the five persons with him.
And behold, they were terrorists and
among them was Abubakar Shekau,
recognized by his sportive Osama Bin
Ladenic beard.
Col. Asabo held his throat and pointed a
gun on his forehead to pull the trigger.
Shekau pleaded passionately, “Dan Allah,
please don’t kill me,’ it’s not my fault.”
“Whose fault then?” asked Col. Asabo.
Asabo overcoming his anger remembered
killing Shekau in battle would amount to
something extra-judicial and rob Nigerians
of the opportunity to see their tormentor
alive in confessions. So, he restrained
himself and ordered his arrest.
Mission accomplished, Shekau was
bundled into a waiting military truck and
ferried away. An hour later, a military
helicopter was waiting in the fields and the
suspects were hurled into it and flown into
the Command Center, Maiduguri.
The camp erupted in wild jubilations, as
Gen. Charlie addressed troops.
“I think, this assignment is over now,” he
yelled.
“Yeeeh!!!!, Yeeeh!!!!!, soldiers shouted.
“But before anything else, I have informed
the COAS, our Leader, Lt.Gen. Tukur
Yusufu Buratai,” he revealed.
“He is on his way to this place now,” he
said.
“Sai Madawaki, Sai Shogaba soja!” the
soldiers echoed.
Already, news headlines by both local and
international media began flashing about
the arrest of Abubakar Shekau. CNN
flashed; “Nigerian Soldiers Capture,
Abubakar Shekau, Nigeria’s Most Wanted
Terrorists Kingpin;” Al Jazeera said in
news briefs: “At Last Boko Haram Leader,
Abubakar Shekau Captured Alive by
Buratai,” Daily Trust said, “End of the
Road For Abubakar Shekau; and a rider
added, “To be paraded in Abuja Soon.”
Social media buzzed crazily with the news
of his capture.
At the Command theatre in Maiduguri,
Buratai addressed troops. “I salute your
gallantry, your courage and bravery. We
are proud of you; Nigerians are proud of
you,” he said.
“Our Commander–In-Chief of the Naija
Armed forces, President Mai Geskiya has
sent his compliments to all of you. And he
has given us the permission to parade
Shekau before Nigerians in Abuja to
confirm his capture,” Buratai hinted.
Gen. Charlie led his boss, Gen. Buratai to
where Shekau and his commanders
arrested along with him, after a fierce
battle in Bolu village were cooling their
heels.
On sighting Buratai and even with his knee
cap injury partially healed, Shekau
summoned the last reserve of energy in his
body to sprawl on the spacious floor
remorseful and beggarly.
“General, I am sorry,” Shekau said in a
voice damn too weak.
Buratai stood watching him in awe. He
said to himself, “so brutal killers dread
death this much?”
Feeling that his plea for mercy had not
snatched the desired attention, Shekau
crawled and knelt down before Buratai,
bending his wounded knee in pains.
Groaning in pains, he said, “It’s the work
of the devil.”
Tearfully, he continued, “I am sorry for
killing my own brothers and sisters. I was
so brainwashed into this evil Islamic
ideology. Please forgive me. Tell Nigerians,
to forgive me. From the bottom of my
heart, I am really sorry.”
Buratai and his commanders only listened
in utmost shock. None uttered a word.
Before his capture, they pictured a brave
warrior, but the tormentor Shekau was not
one. When Shakau saturated himself with
the pleas, Buratai, barked orders; take
them to Abuja!
A week later, a parade ground had been
prepared in Wuse, one of Abuja’s busiest
areas. Roads were closed kilometers before
the market. Security agents were
everywhere and only Naija people on foot
were allowed access. The afternoon
weather was light, breezy and cool. And
Shekau and his commanders were laid on
a large podium at the center of the market.
Nigerians struggled to catch a glimpse of
him. There was a surge of people. An
aged woman, whose only son was killed
when terrorists bombed UN building in
Abuja, got to where the disempowered
Shekau stood with his gang, muttering
some inaudible words, as she spat at his
face.
Gripped by the emotions of pains, the
woman moved to hit Shekau, but was held
back by security, as she sobbed loudly.
Buratai saw the drama and beckoned to
security to allow the pensively aggrieved
woman to come to him. Buratai bent down
counseling her. Mama, please I know it’s
painful, but may you….
Alas, Gen. Charlie kicked himself to
wakefulness on his camp bed. His body
covered with streams of sweat. “Oh! So it
was a dream after all? He exclaimed. But I
know it will happen one day. Dreams are
realities. Shekau will not escape us. We
shall capture him alive, he assured himself.
Kolawole, PhD is a University teacher and
contributed this piece from Keffi, Nasarawa
State.
http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/and-buratai-shakes-naija-with-shekaus-capture/ 1 Like |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by gbegemaster(m): 5:12pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Ah ah 1 Like |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by Justuceleague2: 5:44pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
No comma full stop or paragraph. Even braille has those things Ògbẹ́ni kóshì lo jọ̀ọ́ 9 Likes |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by xxxtedyxxx(m): 5:55pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
what's this nonsense? |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by tit(f): 5:59pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
No army soldiers in borno agaun. Boko haram has kill them all. The few remaining have run awol. 1 Like |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by espirito(m): 6:16pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
beautiful piece |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by Ojiofor: 6:20pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
What is the title of this book? 2 Likes |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by konfused: 6:38pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Nice fantasy. ..... 3 Likes |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by timecapsule: 6:49pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
DREAMING a good dream in the day. |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by AbiolaFawole(m): 8:08pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Justuceleague2:use your head mad man |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by Nobody: 8:36pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
AbiolaFawole:why I insulting him just because he corrected you, are you this lowlife ? spit on you. |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by oganology33(m): 8:50pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
BMC has told dis mumu to write an article b4 dem go consider am 4 interview. lol 1 Like |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by eposho: 8:58pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Justuceleague2:Ahhhhh, u funy die |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by AbiolaFawole(m): 9:22pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Alaniyiokorausa:Both of you are fools, that was not my write up |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by kunlexy1759(m): 9:46pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Nigeria will surely see d end of d bastard called Shekau and his men one day, by God's grace. 1 Like |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by ZombieTERROR: 10:38pm On Apr 17, 2017 |
Am not in a reading mood Can someone just summarize |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by menstrualpad: 4:21am On Apr 18, 2017 |
AbiolaFawole:Mind your language. |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by orisa37: 4:51am On Apr 18, 2017 |
AbiolaFawole: He is The Sheriff Brutes in Town now!!! |
Re: And Buratai Shakes Naija With Shekau’s Capture by d33types: 6:43am On Apr 18, 2017 |
oganology33: |
(1) (Reply)
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