₦airaland Forum

After an adventurous Friday night partying at the school club called Finitio lounge I and my roomies spent the whole Saturday reminiscing about the party. The party ended with multiple gunshots from some cultist at the dance floor and thus people scurried through the shattering glasses for an escape route. I remembered bustling and landing on a very fat chick who couldn’t lift herself off the ground in a bid to escape been hit by stray bullets coughing out from the mouth of the guns the cultist were wielding. The reminiscent was horribly funny – but we were grateful. We all laughed and mocked ourselves of our horrible dance steps, and how we all chickened-out at the sound of the gun but then thanked God for sparing us that night. Marcopolo, my bunkmate suggested we go to church the next day, been Sunday, to show appreciation to God but was shouted down by all including me. I called him names such as ‘chicken’, ‘sissy’, ‘fear fear’, ‘mumu’ etc. Amongst my friends and clique I am regarded as the ‘Alpha’ which means that my decisions are final in any given situation. And so I briefed them, my friends; Marcopolo, Femzy and Damio of what our tomorrow activities will be like.

“On Sunday morning we will play FIFA 2013 on PS 3 till we run out of fuel in the generator and then later we’d go to the evening fellowship, not because of Marcopolo the chicken, but because of that new chick that has been going hell over heels for Femzy” I briefed them while maintaining eye contact between Femzy and Marcopolo to ascertain their reactions. But they appeared to be very happy about the decision.
On Sunday morning, at around 7am we heard a knock on our door. The knock was so exasperating that I vowed to punch whoever it was – may God help Koko the nosy neighbor if it turns out to be him. The knock continued till Damio decided to get the door.

“Good morning gentlemen how may I help you?” Damio greeted as he opened the door.
Before him stood four hefty men clad in mobile police uniform with AK 47 resting under their arms.
“My name is Officer Effiong Obuk from the State Division and these are my colleagues” He and other officers flashed their badges like the FBIs do in most Hollywood movies.
“I and my team have been instructed to bring you all in for questioning” He said. This time his voice and facial expression have changed to something somewhat not good.
“Questioning?” I cut in.
“What do you mean by questioning officer…effi..effiyoung?” I queried while stammering
“We haven’t done anything wrong officer” Femzy added
“Hey, young men in case you all didn’t hear me well, I said I have been instructed to bring you all in. All your questions and answers will be addressed at the station so please if you don’t mind I want you all to go with Officer Ali and Officer Tondo to the van while I and Officer Tedemu search your apartment” He said as he signaled his Officers to take us out.
Minutes later, the Officers were back from our apartment. One of them held a nylon bag containing something I think I know very well. Something most young boys can’t do without.
The drive from our apartment to the police station took about twenty minutes. When we alighted from the police van officer Effiong and his colleagues walked us to a room for the ‘questioning’.
A potbellied man of about fifty years sat in front a very big table. He is stout and dark in complexion and has a bald hair with a moustache that looks like that of an Indian ‘boss’ in Bollywood movies. Bobo Ziko is the name crested on his uniform. He gazed without blinking as we were ushered in by the Officers. His piercing gaze made me very uncomfortable. Damn! Uncomfortable? The police station is not a place to get comfortable I quickly realized.

“Please have your seats gentlemen” Officer Ziko said while letting out a smirk. He maintained the same level of smile as he watched us seat.
“Please introduce yourselves by your name and department” He chuckled and scrunched his chair backwards to pave way for his protruding belly.

He stopped and frowned for some second probably amazed at how sheepishly he has been smiling ever since he saw us.
“My name is Marcus Ajah and I’m studying Electrical Engineering” Marcopolo said briefly.
“I am Oluwafemi Saraki, Machanical Engineering department sir” Femzy stated.
“Damilola Williams. Machanical Engineering” Damio said with an inaudible voice
“You say what? I didn’t hear you clear so speak up young man!” Officer Ziko thundered. He picked his pen and stated jotting down things only him understood.
“I am Damilola Williams from Mechanical Engineering department sir.” Damio proclaimed in a voice that depicts anger.
“Next?”
“My name is Timipreye Parker, Mathematics and Statistics department sir” I made myself known.
“Timipreye Parker?” He enquired raising his bushy eyebrows and moustache.
“That’s right Sir” I answered with sweats of fear and confusion dripping down from my face.
“Interesting” He said nodding his bald head.
He called in one of the Officers and muttered something in his ear and the other nodded in affirmative.

“Okay. Mr. Marcus, Damilola and Oluwafemi you can go back home. Mr. Parker can stay behind” He ticked something from his jotter and fixed his scary gaze at me. My heart sunk repeatedly as his last words echoed in my head. I was still dumbfounded when my friends were walked out and all I could hear them say was “don’t worry man we are waiting for you outside”.