Chapter 2: Accusation at the Station

By the time my guy reach, I just finish to give my statement.

Na God save me say my guy sabi police for that area, if not, I for still dey inside cell. I see am for station corridor, e face full of worry. As I dey sign paper, my hand dey shake small, but I no wan show say fear dey my mind. Na true friend dey show face for night like this.

For corridor, the woman dey hold her pikin tight, dey cry anyhow.

She tie scarf for head, wrapper scatter for waist, eyes red like say she never sleep. The small girl just dey press for her chest, dey sob. Other people for station dey whisper, dey form circle around dem, as if dem dey watch film. Some people dey whisper, others dey record with phone, dey wait for drama.

As she see me come out from the interrogation room, she just stand up sharp-sharp.

Her movement na like person wey see devil. She eye me from head reach toe, like say na now-now she go pounce. Even police dey try hold am back small.

Before I fit talk anything, she give me one heavy slap for face. “You fit touch three-year-old pikin? You be human at all?”

The sound enter my ear like thunder. My ear dey ring, tears nearly comot my eye. The slap hot, I nearly stagger fall. My face dey burn, shame dey crawl for my skin, like pepper enter my eye. Everybody for station look up, some people hiss, some just dey shake head. For this country, once woman cry accuse man like this, nobody dey reason your own side.

Right there for police front, she begin shout for me, dey accuse me say I carry her pikin enter my shop backyard go molest am, dey curse me make I die bad death.

She bend down, carry sand, throw am for ground, dey curse me with her full chest. "God go punish you! Thunder go fire you! If na true, make you no live see tomorrow!" People dey murmur, some dey spit for ground. My body dey hot, shame wan kill me.