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Shaba dey weak. She no fit move body, but she dey relaxed. The way things be resemble say she don dey ready to born; but the problem be say nobody dey there to help her. Sweat don begin full her face and she lie down for ordinary ground. Since she get belle, she come dey unnecessarily harsh wella, nobody dey near her anyhow except say na food u carry come. But now, she no mind for anybody to come help her.

She use her hands hit the belle wella; if say she go fit punch wetin dey worry her for belle to die, she for don do am since. But this one pass her, she come finally lose hope. But na as dat instant wey she lose hope, naim two pipu show face inside the building. Shaba see dem get hope, na so tears begin roll down her cheeks. Dem come meet her, pet her to lie down flat. Na as she lie down flat, naim one of dem cover her mouth. Immediately, she begin struggle, sake of say she don dey reason say na danger dis people be. They begin struggle to subdue her. She begin fight back, dey scratch them.

One of them quick comot dagger, lift am for air, come stab Shaba for belle –

And na so Timo jump wake up for inside cell. He begin wonder which kind mumu dream be dis one dis afternoon sef. And wetin come concern am with mad woman? He get up, look around. He no come even know between reality and dream, which one better pass.

Na where e dey think, naim he begin hear Mama Tasty voice. As she dey hala for counter, him dey hear am for him cell.

***

Just now, news don reach Mama Tasty husband say she dey police wahala. He no even know how him go react to the news. Na true say him wife dey stubborn, but one thing be say she no dey find trouble. He look around, been reason to tell Michael wetin happen but he come later go alone.

Mr. Jude Tabi na action man and he dey well respected for the whole Abako. The respect no come sake of say e rich, but the respect na because say he don hold different positions for Abako market union. Person wey no get action no go fit put Mama Tasty for house, so e no come be surprise say naim be her husband. The man know people well-well for Abako and beyond, even top politicians dem know am. Na very tall man with grey hair him be. If u see am, u go think say na banker sake of say he clothes dey always dey ironed.

“Abeg I wan see the DPO for here,” he tell the policeman wey dey counter.

“Oga, abeg I fit know who you be? Because Oga dey busy for office.” The policeman no even raise head look who him dey talk with.

“Una never really change.” Jude hiss as e yarn. “You no go at least look who u dey talk to? What if I carry gun wan shoot you now?”

“Jesus!” The policeman quickly turn. He nearly knack head for counter with fear. “Which kind rough play be this one na? Oga, u go take time o! Which one be say u go come office come dey threaten people? In fact, dey go house, DPO no dey!”

Na as dem dey talk, naim one man with mobile police enter the station. E wear native with one black hat, and e tight face like person wey belle dey worry. As he see Mr. Jude Tabi, e repair him face come hug am.

“The great Tabi!” he shout.

“My able councillor!” Mr. Tabi shout back.

“Wetin carry rabbit come out for day time?”

Mr. Tabi laff. “U know rabbit no dey come out for day time, but wey better faya catch the bush wey him dey relax, dem no born am well not to come out.” Mr. Tabi smile as e dey talk, but the smile no reach him eyes. “Na my wife dem arrest o. Till now, I never really know the reason. And this monkey wey dem wear uniform no dey help matters.”

“Ah! A whole Mama Tasty?” The thing surprise Mr. Councillor. “Why I no come hear na? Anyways, I no go blame dem sha, dem new transfer dem come Abako; even the DPO sef.”

“Wey you, I wan see your oga right now!” Mr. Councillor bark give the policeman.

“Yes sir! Make una pass here, make una no vex sir!” The policeman begin smile. “Anything for boys, oga mi?” he shout as dem begin enter. Nobody mind am.

As dem enter DPO office, naim dem see Mama Tasty sidon for chair with DPO. She relax, no even be like who dem arrest. As she see her husband, her mind fly sake of say wetin she been dey hide from am don come out for the open.

“Oga DPO! Dem say u detain my boy,” Mr. Councillor begin yarn with vex. “Una no dey ask as things be for town before una go just dey operate. Una leave boys wey commit crime come dey arrest innocent people abi?”

DPO begin laff. “Oga, no be so o. U just dey come my office, and I no even know u. At least we go do small introduction before u sacrifice me,” the DPO reply am with gentle smile, even Mama Tasty no know wen she take smile too.

Mr. Jude Tabi still dey there, him never talk anything, he dey wait make Mr. Councillor and DPO finish talk.

“Na me be councillor for this ward, and this man wey dey with me na the former market union chairman for Abako. Naim wife follow u sidon so.”

“Wow. I no even know. You’re welcome sirs.” DPO still dey smile as e dey talk. “You see, that’s why e good to be good. Abeg una people dey in good condition. Na for protection we arrest dem. From our investigation, at least for now, dem clean. But we get Intel say people dey come after dem sake of say dem feel say dem get hand for wetin happen.”

“The last person wey Gordon see before dem shoot am na Mama Tasty and na for odd hours dem see. Even the other man, right now, boys dey mobilise for am.”

Na from here naim Mr. Tabi finally talk. “Ehn! Tina! You no tell me all these ones o! Well, we go see for house!”

“Calm down, Tabi,” councillor begin beg am. “And, erm, Oga DPO, we don ready to come carry dem go house.”

“No wahala at all, councillor. We no get problem. Just send dem my boys small message.”

“That no be problem. And, erm, Tabi, we get very important matter, make we go outside go discuss am, e dey urgent.”

Na that moment naim Mama Tasty finally know say Timo dey the same police station with am since, she quickly rush go look for am.

“Timo! Abeg wetin dey happen for this Abako? Ehn?”

“Abeg Mama, na long story. No be wetin I go come dey tell you for station. We go sidon yarn.”

Chuky One Pilla