Chapter 2: Interrogation for a Scapegoat

"The death of Ifedolapo, Sani, and Chika, e get anything to do with you?"

Officer Musa sit down opposite me, no waste time at all. We dey for one small, hot room for police station, the wall paint don peel, and one big fan dey turn, but no breeze dey come out. The air smell of old sweat and groundnut shell.

I squint, dey try see wetin e dey do, but e no work. My eye no dey see well, everywhere for the interrogation room just dey blur like colour. Even the calendar for wall I no fit read am.

So I just close my eyes.

I shake my head, spread my hand like say I dey laugh myself: "You feel say person wey dey like me, wey no even get one good eye, fit do murder?" I even smile, but my heart dey race.

Officer Musa talk with strong voice, "Answer me straight. You get hand for the death of Ifedolapo, Sani, and Chika?" E voice dey carry authority, the kind wey fit silence stubborn tout for motor park.

I shake head again. "No."

"Three hours before dem die, CCTV see you dey sit for back of Ifedolapo keke napep, una dey go play. Wetin una go do?" E cross him leg, pen dey tap table.

"We go dig tunnel."

"Explain am."

"That day, Sani call me, say dem wan carry me go play. Because of my eye, dem come pick me with keke. We go one abandoned greenhouse about hundred meters from Sani house, say we wan dig tunnel—na just to dig hole for ground." My voice dey low, but I try explain.

After I talk finish, I look up, ask: "How dem take die, sef?" The curiosity dey bite me like soldier ant for armpit.

No answer for long. I know say Officer Musa go dey reason say I dey hide something, so e dey look me well.

But I no fit see anything for him face, so I just wait. Even the way e breathe, e make the room cold.

After like thirty or forty seconds, Officer Musa finally answer:

"Na explosion kill dem." His mouth tight, e cross hand for chest.

I confuse. "But na just abandoned greenhouse. How explosion wan take happen there? Where dem see bomb?" My voice dey tremble, my leg dey shake small.

Officer Musa no answer, just push again:

"The thing wey cause fire na packet of Benson cigarette. CCTV see you put am for pocket when you dey go. Why you commot, but the cigarette remain there?"

I answer, "No be normal thing to share better thing with friend?

Na my grandpa keep that cigarette for half year, e no smoke am. The three of them see am, dem say dem wan try, so I thief am for them." My mind dey go back to that day, I see their face for my mind.

"Lie!" Officer Musa don tire, e no wan hear my story again.

E knock table, shout, "Share what? You think we no sabi wetin really dey happen?

Dem don dey bully you since. Even your eye, na dem cause am. Why you go still follow them go play? You even share correct cigarette?"

I just bend my head, no talk. My hand dey twist for my lap, I dey press the pain inside me.

Officer Musa continue: "Dem carry you go bully you, abi? Neighbours dey talk say you too dey respect your elders. The cigarette, dem force you give them, abi?

You kill them because dem dey bully you, you no fit forget am, abi?" His words dey heavy, like rain for July.

Suddenly, I laugh. As I dey laugh, I throw my head back, tears just dey fall:

"So una know say dem dey bully me? Why nobody help me when I dey beg for help?

When dem push my head enter gutter, force me drink am, when dem fire knockout for my waist, even when dem use shovel slap my face, comot my left eye, nearly blind the other one join, where una dey? Why nobody talk for me?" I shout, my chest dey rise, my voice dey scatter like broken radio.

The more I talk, the louder I dey. My laugh come turn to shout:

"Now dem don die, the bad thing wey dem do na evidence say I be criminal. All of una wey dey form good person, dey defend them. E funny! Hahaha!" I hit table, spit fly from my mouth, my hand dey shake, but I no send anybody again.