Chapter 7: Police Matter No Be Small

Next day after Musa disappear, police come Aunty Hanatu shop—about five or six of them.

Area boys first spot police van, shout, "Dem don come o!" Women gather quick. You know say for Naija, once police show, people must gather.

I quick call neighbors make dem come support Aunty Hanatu. Everybody pity her, so crowd full, make police dey fear. "Wetin dey happen? If una touch police, na big crime o!"

Mama Sisi dey carry stick, say, "No be police dey help us before? Make dem do their work, but we go dey watch!"

Big Musa shout, "Oga police, we no want wahala. We just wan know why una dey disturb the victim instead of catching the killer!"

He stand with chest out, some boys dey back am. Police dey look crowd, dey reason their next step. Some women dey wave wrapper for air, dey shout, "Justice for Zainab!" Boys dey knock stick for ground.

One oga police, two bars, two stars for shoulder, step forward. "I understand as everybody dey feel, but police just dey follow law. We no fit break rule, abi?"

He try smile, but sweat dey his face. The tension tight.

Baba Sola no gree. "Last time, old man fall for my shop, wan collect two hundred thousand naira from me. Police talk say old man na weak person, so I pay one hundred and fifty thousand. Why una no follow law that time?"

Crowd dey shout, "Answer am!" Some dey laugh, but tension still dey.

The officer no fit talk. People vex more. "Aunty Hanatu, no fear. The more we shout, the more our right dey. We go follow you go station every day!"

One woman raise hand, "If dem touch you, we go protest for radio!"

At last, Aunty Hanatu come out calm everybody. "Thank you, but Zainab death no be police fault. In fact, dem help find the killer quick, I thank them well. Abeg, make everybody go house, no disturb police."

She bow small, voice gentle. Some people dey clap. Na so she get sense—no allow matter spoil pass like that.

Aunty Hanatu act well. I don tell her make she always show good face for police.

She fit smile for pain, show strong woman. Na so people dey survive for this country.

Police na human too; if dem pity Aunty Hanatu, dem no go dig too deep, so she fit escape.

True true, if police like you, sometimes dem go look another side. We sabi the game.

The oga police wipe sweat. "Ah, crowd full here o. You get plenty people wey like you."

He adjust cap, look around. "We go come back next time, but today, make we talk small."

Aunty Hanatu pour zobo, force smile. "We just be small business people, no be government. If something bad happen, na only us dey help ourselves. So, why una come today?"

She give the officer zobo. He smile, give her card—Inspector Garba:

He talk soft, "My wife sabi your bread. She dey buy every Friday."

"I dey there the day we find Zainab. I really sorry for your pikin, but today na about Musa."

He voice low. "We no mean you harm, na normal process."

"Yesterday, him parents report say e miss. Because of your fight before, police dey suspect say you fit know wetin happen. But no fear, na normal process—no mean say you be suspect."

He look her face, try act gentle. But the crowd still dey restless.

I know say Inspector Garba dey lie. If na only missing pikin, dem no go bring plenty police.

I wink at Hanatu, signal say make she hold ground.

Dem dey suspect Aunty Hanatu for Musa death, dem wan find evidence.

Everybody know say for Nigeria, if police suspect you, dem fit arrest you anyhow if you slip.

But this one no hard for Aunty Hanatu. We don practice how to answer police many times.

Every night, we rehearse question and answer. My wife even dey act like police sometimes.

But Aunty Hanatu surprise me. She just put her hand for table, "Yes, I kill am. Carry me go."

All eyes wide. Even police mouth open. Some neighbors dey whisper, "Hanatu don craze?"