Chapter 6: Police and Prayer

"Aunties, abeg bear me witness. I no know her, I no go river."

I beg with voice wey no get pride. Make dem no allow this lie spread again.

After I talk finish, I call police.

I borrow phone from Auntie Patience, my hand dey shake as I dial police number for area command.

When police come, I yarn my matter straight: this girl dey lie for my head.

I speak pidgin and English mix, explain every corner. The policewoman dey write, dey nod.

But the girl just dey cry, dey talk anyhow.

She dey act drama, roll for floor, tears dey pour like tap. Some onlookers dey film am with phone.

"Officers, abeg help me! I dey alone for this city. I just go river waka, meet this pervert."

Her voice dey shake. She dey use emotion scatter sense. Even police dey try comfort am.

"I still dey university, na student I be. If I no fit get justice, I no wan live again."

She dey drag pity. Some police dey shake head, others dey reason say something no add up.

No camera for river, so police no fit just believe anybody.

Na wahala of Naija. Where evidence no dey, na voice dey reign.

Dem try calm her, promise to investigate.

Officer Bako tell her say dem no dey judge with tears, dem go check everything.

The aunties tell her make she go house change cloth so she no go catch cold.

Auntie Ngozi beg her, "Sister, your health first. No let wahala kill you."

But she no gree, just dey shout say police must write report, put my name as suspect.

She dey insist, voice dey break. She dey point at me every time.

I just know her plan.

Na same move she use last time, wan create evidence for social media.

She wan use am slander me online, like last time.

If report enter, dem fit twist am.

So I no gree make dem write anything without evidence.

I tell police say, "Oga, abeg, no write anything if una no sure. Na so dem take kill person last year for market."

I beg the aunties make dem talk for me.

I kneel small, hands clasped. My face serious, my voice low.

The aunties tell police everything, stand by me, prove say I dey with them, I no waka go river.

Auntie Funmi even swear with her last born, say na so e be.

With all the witnesses, the girl matter no get head for police side.

Police dey look paper, dey shake head. E be like film to them.

Police just ignore her request.

Dem reason am, then just talk say dem go investigate.

Dem say dem go check the truth.

Officer dey write, but no put my name for suspect line.

When dem ask her for ID, she no gree show.

She dey fidget, dey cover bag like say something dey hide inside.

Police try reason with her: "Sister, if you no show your name, how we go check? How we go reach you? Just show us your ID, we no dey arrest you."

Dem try use soft tone, no wan provoke am.

Na then the girl cry: "I... my name na Amina Danladi. Abeg investigate well, abeg."

I mark the name for my head. I dey try place am, but nothing come up.

I think tire, I no remember meeting anybody with that name.

My head dey spin. I dey wonder if she use fake name.

I really no know her.

As God dey my witness, this babe be total stranger.

I remember last time, I still no fit understand why she dey target me.

E be like say my star just cross her own.

Or maybe she just pick random person, and na me jam am?

E fit be bad luck. Some people dey carry wahala for head, dey share am to stranger.

As police dey go, I panic, add join:

I rush meet Officer Bako, voice low: "Abeg, make una no let her spoil my name for internet before una finish."

"Officers, abeg clear my name.

And before una finish investigation, abeg protect me small. No let her go post online spoil my name."

My chest dey pound, I dey sweat for palm.

Police look her, warn her: "Internet no be outside law. No post anyhow, you hear?"

Their tone get finality. Some people dey nod. But for Naija, warning dey fly like mosquito, no dey bite.

The girl just purse her lips, nod, but my mind dey heavy.

I dey see for her eye say she no go gree. She dey form calm, but her spirit dey boil.

If na like last time, this warning no mean anything.

Na so e happen before, police no fit stop internet.

Because last time, before police finish, she don already post rumour online.

People dey copy, dey share like say na hot gist.

Police beg her delete am.

She delete, but damage don done. My face everywhere.

By the time she delete, the internet don scatter. Even if she remove the original, people still dey share, e no fit stop.

For social media, na the first story dey reign. Nobody dey care for correction.

The wahala no fit end.

E dey drag for days, weeks. Before truth come out, my reputation don sink.

For my own safety, I decide to take action.

I reason am for night, vow say this time, I no go wait make wahala swallow me. If devil dey do marathon, I go run pass am.