Chapter 2: Suspicion and Station Walls

Even though Inspector Dapo dey act say he need my help, me I no wan enter that game at all.

My spirit dey talk say make I no join mouth for police matter. For Naija, if you too wise, na you dem go carry.

I know well—na test he dey do me.

Uncle Sani talk say police collect all CCTV backup, especially staircase and corridor. Dem check well, see nothing. E mean say only people for our floor fit do am.

Our block get two staircase, four flat per floor. 16A and 16B for east, 16C and 16D (my own) for west, corridor divide us. The corridor self dey open, CCTV from Block 8 fit see am, so na only me fit do am.

The plan tight. E be like Yoruba film wey the villain go dey for church, still do juju for night. The thing no clear, but police dey reason am like say na inside house magic.

E clear say this ‘help’ wey Inspector Dapo dey find na just trick to make me talk.

Maybe for him mind, he don already judge me, but since no evidence, he dey play nice.

But he get sense, and me too I no be mumu.

For Naija, if person dey do police case, even lawyer dey tell am, 'No talk pass your mouth.' So I carry face, form tired father.

This na murder matter—why I go put myself? If I talk pass my mouth, even if I no do anything, wahala fit jam me. E go hard to clear my name.

So I dodge. “Sorry, Inspector Dapo, I no fit help. My pikin still small, na only me dey house. I dey take care of baby, wash cloth, cook, still dey hustle. I no get time.”

I talk plenty about how hard e be for man to raise pikin, hope say Inspector Dapo go leave me.

As I dey talk, I dey look my hand wey bleach dey chop, my short, and my unshaved beard. For Naija, men wey dey house dey always dey judged, but I no send.

But I no know say him skin thick. He no gree. “No wahala, just small talk. We don call your wife—she dey come.”

I open mouth, eye wide. "Kai, wahala don dey big!"

“Why una call my wife? She no fit see blood, dey fear anyhow. Now murder happen, una dey drag am come?”

I panic, wan call her.

Before I fit dial, Inspector Dapo collect my phone, him face hard again. “Why you dey call? You dey hide something?”

My mind fly, but I try hold face. I look am straight. "I no get anything to hide. Na my wife I wan warn, she dey fear blood."

I wan vex, but Inspector Dapo talk coldly, “Murder happen, investigation must dey. If no be your small pikin, you for dey station since. Sit down. When your wife come, una go follow us.”

Since e don clear, I no pretend again. “So na me you don pick? You get proof?”

Inspector Dapo shrug. “No proof, but we get time. Remember, story no be real life. Police work different from your novel.”

I hear some estate women dey peep from window, dey talk low. "See as police dey carry that Skywriter. E good as e dey write crime, police go use am catch criminal for real."

As I see say Inspector Dapo no wan hear, I just say, “I go wait,” go inside.

Inside room, I hug my pikin, kiss am plenty. When my wife finally come, I gently drop our pikin.

I dey smell the baby powder, see my wife eyes red. For Naija, once wahala don land, woman go cry first before question.

“Gbemi...”

My wife wan talk, but I see two policewomen behind am. I rush hug her.

“No worry, na just question. I know say I never dey house lately—thank you. Our pikin dey chop formula every six hours, 150ml each time. When you add food, no give too much, she fit get running belle..."

I dey talk plenty about our pikin till Inspector Dapo drag me. By then, my wife don dey cry.

Her scarf rough, sweat dey her face—sure sign say she fight traffic and worry together. I fit feel her hand dey shake, her body cold. My own chest dey heavy. For Lagos, once police carry you, neighbours go dey look your wife with pity—'see as God catch am.'

As I see am, I shout, “Why you dey cry? I just dey go answer question, I no dey go die! You be adult—something small happen, you just dey cry. Wetin you fit do except cry?”

As I shout, my wife cry more, my pikin wake, start to cry join.

I see one of the policewomen shake head, like say "Na men dey always shout for nothing." I wan hug my wife, but dem no allow.

For that moment, everywhere just full with cry cry.

Neighbours dey peep, dey whisper. "God abeg, no let this matter reach our house." I dey remember how Mama Chinyere once talk say, 'cry dey wash soul.' But this one, e dey scatter my head.

I vex, waka go meet Inspector Dapo, bark, “Na wetin you want be this? No worry—when all this finish, I go report una!”

Inspector Dapo no talk, just signal make dem carry me go CID office.

As police van carry me go, I dey hear hawker shout, "Gala! Pure water!" but my mind no dey road.

For estate, people dey look me, some dey avoid my eye. Na so rumor dey start. "E get as e be," dem go talk.

Na my first time for police station, dey sit for suspect chair. I no fear—just dey look everything like new.

But as time dey go, I wait tire. Inspector Dapo no come, nobody come question me.

I dey look the wall, see old poster for corner—'Bail is Free.' For my mind, I dey laugh, 'Who dey believe that for Naija?'

Before long, I tire.

Because the place too boring.

Na only ceiling fan dey make noise, window dey dirty, and one small cockroach waka pass my shoe. I dey remember all the crime film I don watch, dey rate which station worst.

They lock me for one small room, less than ten square meter, light dey dull, no even lamp, no toilet. AC dey blow for the coldest, iron chair cold die. I no fit lie down, no fit relax—everywhere just dey uncomfortable.

I remember the time for NYSC camp, how dem lock people for guardroom. This CID room worse—no mattress, just iron chair and floor wey cold pass freezer. My body dey pain me small, but I dey try form strong.

I vex, start shout:

“Inspector Dapo! Come out! I come here to help—why you no show?”

The echo for room na only my voice. I dey reason say if dem wan break person spirit, na here dem dey start. Police sabi this trick for Naija—keep person for room, make e tire, e go confess even what e no do.

“No think say I no sabi law! Even if I be suspect, you no fit treat me anyhow! Criminal law for Nigeria talk say if you dey detain person, you must give am food and rest!”

I dey shout more, voice dey high. For my mind, I dey talk say, 'If dem wan make me mad, dem never start.' For Naija, to shout sometimes na the only power wey poor man get.

...

As the light for the room dey dull more, my body dey vex more.

I dey look my wrist, no watch, but my body clock dey count. Hunger dey bite, I dey think about my wife and pikin. I dey pray say, 'God, if na test, abeg help me come out.'

But nobody answer me, like say dem forget me for there.

I dey think, 'Shebi na so people dey disappear for station?' My mind dey strong, but small small, sleep dey come. I begin dey talk to myself, dey plan story for head, dey swear say if I come out, I go write about Inspector Dapo for my next novel.

After like eight or nine hours, still nobody come question me. Na only me remain for the whole interrogation room.

I dey hear footstep for corridor, sometimes, but nobody enter. Just me, the cold chair, and my thought. For Naija, this kind isolation fit break person, but I dey determined say I no go gree. My mind dey strong, but my belly dey cry for food. For this CID room, na only God and my own story dey with me. But I swear, if I come out, even Inspector Dapo go fear the kind story I go write.