Chapter 6: Truth No Get Hiding Place

This time, as I go see Chuka for cell, him face don lean, eyes red.

His lips crack, hand dey scratch table. That cold wey dey cell, e dey enter bone. Chuka eyes dey hollow.

The way him hand dey tight show say he never gree with the judgement.

But now, whether he gree or not, e no matter.

He fit appeal again, but the thing go still be the same.

Only hope na forgiveness letter, maybe court go pity am.

……

I wan talk, but Chuka first talk:

"E no true say evidence no dey."

Him voice low, I think say I no hear well.

"Wetin you talk?"

Chuka look me, like say he dey prepare himself:

"I get evidence."

I open my notebook sharp.

"Wetin be the evidence?"

Chuka look door, then collect my pen, dey write as he talk:

"Senior, na my cloud drive account and password be this. After you comot, log in for somewhere. Only one video dey there—na the evidence."

File: Evidence

"Wetin dey inside the video?"

"Na Musa last words before he die."

I wan ask more, but Chuka no talk again, just dey repeat:

"Senior, after you watch the video, I no go fit look your face again."

I no understand—wetin fit dey for video wey go make Chuka behave like this?

How e take be Musa last words?

According to case, Chuka hang Musa as he dey sleep.

No suppose get chance for last words.

Confused, I leave detention, rush go house.

I use the account and password, log into Chuka cloud drive.

First video title na:

"Auwalu Secret"

Na this secret Musa dey use threaten Mr. Auwalu?

Chuka force am talk am before he kill am?

……

If na so, Chuka wahala go even worse.

……

My body cold, sweat full my back.

I dey nervous.

……

I play the video, eye dey the screen.

I think say na video of Chuka hang Musa.

But as e start, Musa just siddon for front of camera, dey adjust am.

Background na room 201 for workers' quarters.

……

"Na Musa record this?"

I no expect am.

Video start as Chuka enter, sit beside Musa.

Chuka put him phone for front of camera. If you look well, you go see say na call log dey show.

First call na to police by 3:00 p.m. August 10.

Time for top corner na 3:03 p.m.

So, na after call to police.

……

Video continue:

Chuka ask Musa:

"I just call police. If you wan change mind, e never late."

Musa just shake head, smile to camera with him Wukari accent:

"I sabi Auwalu secret, so when Chuka tell me say Auwalu wan spend 1.2 million make dem kill me, I no surprise. I get cancer. Treatment dey cost. My pikin just nine. If I do treatment, I go suffer my wife and pikin."

That time, Musa cry, voice dey break:

"I no go do treatment. I wan leave small money for my wife and pikin, so I agree with Chuka. I gree make he kill me, after he collect the money, make he give 600,000 to my wife."

"Wife, no vex for me. I get cancer, treatment too cost. I no wan burden you. If you get the money, carry our pikin, marry again. Use the 600,000 as your new life."

"Pikin, brush your teeth, no lazy for school work. Health important. I no know if you go ever see this."

The video dey blur, but the tears and red eye clear.

Chuka remind Musa:

"Time no remain."

Musa wipe tears, nod, face camera:

"Auwalu, no be say I no fit use your secret collect money. I just dey fear say my wife and pikin no go get anything after I die. But the money for Chuka—na your promise. You want my life, I gree give you."

"Make I tell you, so you no go cheat Chuka after I die, I don tell am your secret. After I die, you must pay. Abeg, leave matter. No push good people too much."

"Let me remind you, this secret fit finish you."

With that, Musa end the video.

Total time: just over two minutes.

Last second, phone show time: 3:06 p.m.

……

Na arranged killing!

For Naija, to gree make dem kill you for money—poverty don really show person pepper.

But for this Makurdi night, I begin fear say truth fit kill pass lie.