Chapter 3: The Hunt for Zaria Devil

For the nine years wey dem dey find am, e don jam police plenty times, always escape—

People dey wonder, how one person go outsmart police for nine good years? Dem dey yarn say police dey chop bribe, but this one pass ordinary wahala.

Until e meet im match: Musa, expert for criminal behavior analysis.

For Naija, dem dey call am "detective wey sabi book." Musa no be ordinary police; im head correct, e dey see wetin others no fit see.

That time, Musa just dey near the cage, dey observe am quietly.

No shaking for Musa face. Im two hands pocket, e just dey study am, eye dey sharp like hunter.

Both of them remember the first day dem meet face to face.

Memory flash for both of dem. That meeting na turning point for the hunt. Two hunters, but na only one go fit survive.

——Seven dead bodies, one boy and some girls, all their eyes don comot.

People dey fear to walk for street. Parents dey escort pikin reach church. For area, dem dey say, "Devil dey Zaria." Everybody dey do night vigil.

Early 1983, Zaria—one small city for northern Nigeria.

That year, Zaria no sleep. As Musa waka through Zaria, smell of tuwo and miyan kuka follow am, and mosque loudspeaker dey call for extra prayer. People dey lock gate by 7pm. Fear everywhere.

Police call Musa to come help solve series of terrible killings.

No be small thing. Police boss say, "Musa, abeg, we need you. This matter don pass our hand."

Musa, wey be lieutenant and criminal behavior analyst for crime lab, tall well, get big ambition, and swear say e go catch this heartless killer by himself.

For police circle, dem dey respect Musa. E dey dress neat, e word na final. Im voice calm, but if e vex, everywhere go quiet.

Before e reach, dem don already find three female dead bodies. The strange thing be say: all the victims, their eyes don comot.

Rumour dey fly. Some say na cult, some say na juju man from riverine area. Everybody dey guess, nobody get answer.

First victim na 13-year-old girl, dem stab am at least 22 times. Dem find her body for bush, e don dey smell. Police no get clue.

Her papa cry tire. Mama faint three times. The whole street mourn. For town, dem do candlelight for her sake.

Second one na adult woman, dem find am near motor park, naked, face down, legs open.

The sight na abomination. Elder women gather cloth cover her body, dey pray say, "May God no let our children see this kind evil."

The third one bad reach, e body no even resemble human again; the killer stab am with stick, wickedness no get part two.

Old men wey see am say, "I never see this one before." Even police officers fear to carry the body.

As time dey go, the killer dey wicked pass before, police just dey helpless.

Dem dey call am "spirit man". People start dey do prayer walk, dey pour anointing oil for junction.

Na so dem call Musa—im mind strong, ready to catch the beast.

Musa no dey fear. E carry only small bag, notebook, and im sharp mind. E tell im oga, "Give me two weeks, I go crack this case."

But as Musa land, the killer show im power again, drop fourth dead body: another small girl, eyes don comot.

People begin run from Zaria. Bus park full, drivers dey do midnight trip, people dey shout, "This place no safe again!"

Why the killer dey like to remove eyes? Na juju? Or e dey do ritual?

Even imam and pastor no get answer. For village, people dey check pikin eye every morning.

No clue again, so Musa decide to start from people wey don miss for area.

E carry big list, dey knock from house to house. People dey respect am because e dey listen, no dey shout like ordinary police.

One 10-year-old girl disappear after she go choir practice alone.

E mama dey cry for radio, dey beg say, "Abeg, if you see my pikin, return am o!"

Musa search for four months, nothing show.

Every morning, e check missing person report. E no dey sleep well, sometimes e dey dream say e see the girl.

Four months later, dem find the girl—

Villagers wey dey farm smell something. As dem search bush, na im dem see am. Everybody shock.

Her body dey about five kilometers from church, the sight terrible die.

Even men wey get heart dey shed tears. The matter touch everybody.

Harmattan cold preserve the crime scene. The girl skin don turn blue-white from cold, dem stab am everywhere, her chest and belle organs all don scatter.

You go think say wild animal tear the girl, but na human hand do am. Police officer vomit for bush as e see the body.

The killer no just remove her eyes, e cut off her private part, tear her belle open, remove intestine and womb.

Na so the news spread, people begin fear bush, even farmers stop to go farm alone.

Musa vex, frustration catch am.

Im head hot, im hand dey shake. For police station, e break table, shout for all the junior officers. E swear say e no go rest till e catch the person.