Jamaica

Chapter 5

The yellow 504 taxi cab left the Murtala Mohammed airport on its way towards the Lagos Federal secretariat building. In the back seat were two passengers. One was a man, Mr. Bolaji, a fifty-five year old senior staff employee of the secretariat. The other was Jamaica and they were going to the Federal secretariat. Except along the way, Mr. Bolaji took another taxi. He had come all the way from Abuja interrupting a two week leave after three days. 

 Something urgent had come up to disturb the quiet time he was spending with his family. It wasn't work related but it needed his urgent attention. As the taxi  closely approached the Federal secretariat building, Mr. Bolaji brought out his cell phone and dialed a number. When he dialed the number he relaxed his right elbow on the arm rest of the back seat. Then a strange thudding sound was heard. Some unknown object had hit the taxi. 

"Oga we don't reach o." The taxi driver had stopped in front of the building and waited for  Mr.Bolaji to finish his phone call. But seeing the amount of time Mr. Bolaji was spending on the phone, he was becoming impatient. 

"Oga abeg pay me my money, make I commot." Still getting no response from the passenger he decided to come down and open the back door and force the man to come out. Luckily for him as he was about to do so, a police car passed by his taxi. He quickly waved at them to stop.

"Eh hen, officers thank God say ona don come. This man wey dey for back seat no gree commot. Abeg make ona help me beg am. I want go carry other people." 

The police officers stared at the passenger in the back seat. Looking more closely at the man, they realized something was wrong. They looked at each other and quickly came down. The officer in the front passenger seat quickly held the taxi driver while his colleague went to check on Mr. Bolaji. He touched his neck and saw no sign of life in him.

"Taxi driver what did you do to this man?!" He asked authoritatively, as he walked towards the taxi driver ."The man is not breathing.".  The taxi driver's eyes widened and he shouted,
"Yeeee, I don die oooo!" 

"Come on will you shut up? What did you do to him?!" A slap fell on his face by the police officer who was holding him. Handcuffs immediately followed and he was then bundled into the back seat of the police car. 

The police officer that had touched Mr. Bolaji was horrified and went back to see what had happened. He found out that Mr.Bolaji had been shot and it was hardly noticeable. He sighed and looked at the rear window, but there was no sign of it being penetrated by bullets. The officer knew something was out of place. He walked up to his colleague and said, 

"The man was shot." 

Earlier on, Mr. Bolaji had boarded a flight from Abuja on his way to Lagos. This was after so much difficulty trying to convince one person that he was on leave.

"Look, Mr. Bolaji there is a serious issue that needs to be addressed immediately." 

"Excuse me sir, I am on leave and will not resume work until after two weeks."
"Does that mean you cannot come?" Mr. Bolaji sighed.

"And by the way what is so urgent that requires my presence?" There was silence before the man talking to him said,

"Sambo Constructions." At the mention of Sambo Constructions, Mr, Bolaji took a deep breath.

"Is that the problem?" he asked.

"Mr. Sambo has been shot dead.."
"Yes I heard about it."
"It means whoever did it will not stop there."

"I understand."

"It also means this whole thing will be exposed."

 "Fine I'll take the next available flight."