Date Published: 08/11/09
Fiction: Short Story
Blood
By Odimegwu Onwumere
There was no confidence and hope about the future in Fortissimo, a country that proclaimed itself as the largest Red nation in the world. Politicians swam in the murky waters of politics. Their actions played a role in conflict and death of the citizenry. Prostitution was rife. People ate ashes for bread and drank tears for tea. Illicit petroleum trade was predominant. A lot of people were into this business, especially white men, who are immigrants. Many of them were providing money and weapons for violent conflict. As much as one percent of the world’s oil produce were stolen everyday in the country. The government was furious over this menace, but couldn’t do more than mere talking, because she had failed in her role to providing the necessary amenities in the citizenry. The trend was ‘kill and bury’. Stepping on the ground was a very big risk. The situation was absurd, but it provided employment for healthy young men. Thugs, politicians and the impoverished citizens of Fortissimo were brought together by the bloody trade of oil. Elections were influenced by local thugs the politicians hired to challenge and suppress the opposition. Many gangs’ challenged the national government and oil companies for the control of the resources. Arsenal of AK47 guns was not hidden. The gangs used them openly in broad day. Life was unbearable for the citizens. And everyone was fighting for a means of survival. The feeble-minded took to self-employed jobs like internet fraud, (popularly called ‘Yahoo, Yahoo’).
Just today, armed robbers shot dead another eighteen policemen. The policemen were escorts attached to a money-carrier van. The van belonged to the Federal Government Bank [FGB].
A week ago, armed bandits killed twelve cops checkmating pirates, who were into crude oil business on the Rivers of Rivers, a popular river in the country. This threw the country into turmoil of how the rage was escalating. Nobody was sure who next would die.
But in all that transpired between the men of the underworld and the policemen, none of the former sustained any injury in the many battles. The eighteen police men that died were killed by mere six hoodlums, who also escaped with Thirty million naira in the van, (US $30, 000). The bandits, reported by the Federal Intelligence Agency [FIA], shot unprofessionally when they were escaping. Twelve people feared dead in that reckless shootout.
Among the twelve people that died, the deaths of a pregnant woman and a cripple, were most heartbreaking. The pregnant woman was coming out from a shop where she had gone to buy articles for her expected baby, when fate had a twist in her life and she was mowed down by the pellets of the robbers. The cripple was said to be a scope in the escaping route of the men and he was killed.
The scenario was absurd. Just in one year, armed robbers’ sordid quest had taken the lives of over two hundred policemen. Not only that, over twenty police stations were invaded and set ablaze by yet to be identified gunmen. Many citizens saw the invasions and burnings of the police stations as politically motivated, contrary to the government’s claim that they were burnt by hoodlums.
The Grave To Grave political party (otherwise called GTG) sought to lead the country by any means necessary. Its national chairman was quoted to have said that they wouldn’t relinquish power till one hundred and twenty years more. Rigging of elections was especially the means, because the GTG could not win in a free and a fair election, outright.
“But how would GTG not win when it imposes the Judges at the Supreme Court, the President of the electoral body, had the money and the majority of men and women in the National Assembly?” activists always asked.
First, in the GTG manifesto in the previous elections it was “Democracy for all”. But, the second time, it started agitating for unitary government or what many in the opposition called, “one party system of government”. Because of the GTG’s myopic gesture, mismanagement and corruption were endemic. Ordinary citizens were deprived of their right to basic education and health. Extrajudicial killing and torture were known as the government’s rule of law, whereas the GTG-led government had promised to strengthen the rule of law as known in the world’s democracies.
In Fortissimo, the police were experts in beating ordinary citizens on trumped-up charges. But how the armed robbers attacked the police, burnt their buildings and go wound-free kept amazing the citizens that police were only brave with ordinary civilians, but not able to lock their horns in a fray with hoodlums.
“Cowards,” the citizens called the police.
The police hadn’t recorded any victory in their battles with armed bandits, but they had victories in their maiming of the citizens, who kept on calling on the international community for help. When the international community sent out delegates, the delegates were harboured in the Federal Capital, whereas people were being killed per second in the towns and villages. That was the problem.
Keke and Obi, who were friends and university students, were most skeptical, about the events unfolding in the Fortissimo. “The victories we hear the police have recorded are what I call newspapers victories,” Keke said.
“I think the police shouldn’t be blamed, because armed robbers use sophisticated weapons whereas the police use nearly mock guns,” Obi countered.
Irked by the incessant attacks on the money-carrier vans, the Director of Banks in the country organized a press conference. In that conference, the president of Fortissimo, State Governors, Ministers, House members and many dignitaries were in attendance. The conference centred on how to proffer a solution to end what Keke described as the “Bank robbery-epidemic”. Their faces blazed as a result of the money meant for the general public, they have looted.
The Director of Banks in his keynote address said: “The pivot of this national press conference is on the possibility of importing Bullion vans.”
The viewers gaped.
“Countries like South Africa have been using the Bullion vans for years now. This is not news. What is news is how to proffer a solution to stem corruption among politicians,” Keke said. The deliberation by Keke now ended on the floor of the public parliament. Others who joined in the argument said:
“The Bullion van is not the issue.”
“It is the bankers that inform robbers to attack bank vehicles whenever huge money was being conveyed.”
“Robbers attack bank vehicles to make money for the procurement of ammunitions.”
“When robbers attack a bank, there wouldn’t be any security agent that could repel the robbers….”
A consensus was passed at the ground of the press conference that the Bullion vans should be imported. Everyone was aghast.
“The Bullion van is a one man squad,” said the Director of Banks.
In his conceited statement, the Director of Banks further said, “It is not going to be ‘business’ as usual for armed robbers as the Bullion vans are going to arrive our country. This will save us the cost of using security men to escort money-carrier-vans for us and armed robbers carting away with our money.” The citizens took all of it with a pitch of salt.
Few months after the news made the headlines in many national newspapers that the Bullion vans have arrived: Ten in all. Director and managers and bank employees threw parties in many quarters. Women were loquacious in the discussion, men drank to stupour and children played in the streets – all in jubilation. Everyone in the city carried newspapers, but people in the remote villages where newspapers didn’t reach, listened to radio. On every corner, was the assemblage of people, wanting to ascertain if it was true that the much talked about Bullion vans have arrived. There was mixed feeling because no previous policies in the country were urgently carried out as this. Many previous policies followed the event that celebrated them, while many hit the rock as soon as they came into existence. “Ramshackle nation,” Keke described Fortissimo as.
The bullion van started plying the roads, not quite long they arrived. The banks needed them urgently. There was no escort attached to anyone of them. In his dismay, Keke told Obi whose full name was Obika, “Truly, this is a ‘one man squad’, according to the Director of Banks.”
Not too long the Bullion van Keke and Obika saw pass, did people started running, from everywhere. In amazement Obika exclaimed, “What is going on?” And Keke said, “It is a pandemonium.”
Gunshots were heard after they saw the exodus of the people. The tones of the gunshots were not rhythmic: some sounded “Taadum” while others were, “Gbum! Gbum!!” Different tones! The armed robbers, who came with acetylene cylinders, had attacked the driver of the Bullion van first, to halt the movement of the van.
But before they succeeded in halting the Bullion van, the van’s driver had been making series of calls. He was contacting the Director of FGB to phone to the Commissioner of Police, to deploy his men. He made these calls when he saw that the armed robbers were succeeding in their attempt to stall the van. The armed robbers chased the van side-by-side, shooting at the motor incessantly. This lasted for about two hours. Dogs stopped barking, sheep stopped bleating, and all ran for their dear lives. Unfortunately for the driver, the armed robbers punctured one of the tyres of the van and it skidded into a gutter on the right side of the new road the government was building. It was because of attacks on the road-users that government decided to recycle the road. For over two hours the armed robbers savagely attacked and gained entrance into the cave of the van, no security personnel were seen.
“That is the problem with the security in our country,” a man who was hiding in a place with Keke and Obika said. By this time, the gunshots had mellowed.
“What do you mean?” asked Keke, in a reprimanding tone.
“I mean that the problem with our country is one of the poor security networks we have,” replied the man, exhaustively.
“I see,” Keke said, with tone like a poet trying to toss a girl.
“Can this happen in a country like America …?”
“It does happen on virtually daily basis,” Keke cut the man’s statement.
“I mean without any security agents coming to save the situation?”
“Oh, is that what you mean?”
“Yes.”
“Mind you, America is America. And any other country, like ours, can’t be America. And America can’t be our country,” Keke told him as there was resurgence of the gunshots.
Like persons hit by pellets suddenly, they shut their mouths.
The gunshots heard now were different as they were. The sound had increased, with many sounds coming out the same time.
Police had arrived.
“And what can the police do?” asked Obika, engulfed in fear. “I hadn’t wanted to talk. Have you not heard that seven police men including a civilian and a driver of one of the new generation banks in the City of Ben were shot dead yesterday when armed robbers attacked a Bullion van conveying cash from a bank in Ben to another of its branch somewhere else?”
Everyone looked at the other in astonishment, showing that they have not heard.
“Obika, you always surprise me,” said Keke.
“How?”
“How did you get the news?”
“Through the British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC).”
“I see.”
“You know that our government censors news here so much.”
“That is old news.”
“Can you imagine that when the BBC made this public and journalists went to the Police Public Relations Officer in the command of the City of Ben, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) denied it? He denied police having any casualty in the operation that lasted for hours.”
“That is the Fortissimo police for you.”
“But witnesses told journalists that not less than three police men were shot in the incident.”
“Didn’t the journalists visit the scene?”
“They did.”
“And what were their findings?”
“I learnt that when they visited the scene that same day, there were blood drops on the road, while the Bullion van was seen parked adjacent to the road,” Obika narrated. “I also heard that the armed robbers were so armed with sophisticated weapons and ammunition that when the escorts, with a Governor’s entourage encountered them, could not match them, they radioed for reinforcement.”
It was not only in the City of Ben that armed robbers attacked Bullion van yesterday; the City of Kad also had the experience. The Kad experience was horrendous, as tactics, new objective and stronger fire power characterized the attack, adding to the recent surge in armed robbery.
The armed robbers in Kad laid siege on a Bullion van, killed two policemen and fled with unsubstantiated sum of money. That same day in Kad, another gang of gunmen descended on the Presidential airport Bureau De Change, killed one, forced the vaults open and fled with unsubstantiated hard currency amounting to millions.
“It was like the robbers went on the rampage, as soon as the Bullion vans arrived,” said Keke.
“Also yesterday,” replied Obika. “Armed robbers in Kat invaded yet another Bureau De Change, not to mention the attack on a bank at Eji area, killing three policemen in the process.”
The police, passengers and motorists were under intense fear of the roads; they were no longer protected because of armed robbers.
“The irony of it all is that the police authorities do not accept the public pictogram that the occurrence is on the increase,” said the man with Keke and Obi. “Police see crime as a normal thing, which are committed everywhere and are heavily reported?”
“Wonders shall never end!” exclaimed Keke.
"Was the police not reported to have said that we talk about Bureau De Change, how many Bureau De Change has been attacked? They asked if we know how many Bureau De Change we have in this country. They said that we have more than one thousand nine hundred Bureaus De Change in this country. Since seven or eight cases have been reported, the police believe that one thousand Bureaus De Change must be attacked before we know that armed robbers have really descended on this place,” Obi added. "Police said that we should know where the problems are and not put the blame on them.”
“Forget those people,” said Keke.
“But we can’t sweep the police ineptitude under the carpet.”
“Ok, sweep it on top of the carpet.”
They all laughed.
Not even the President’s promise in his inaugural speech, when he came in the saddle to fight crime has yielded any result. "Security of life and property is our motto. And we will not hesitate to save our country for investors to come,” the President had said.
Not even assurances by General of Police seemed to be of any meaning. A day does not pass by without a gory tale of robbery attack on innocent people. The situation had degenerated so much. The former Chief Security Officer to a Governor was killed by a group of gunmen, a day after the President's pronouncement. Armed robbers no longer feared the security agencies?
Contrary to the denial by the General of Police, the Federal Capital Police Commissioner reportedly admitted that the security situation in the country had worsened with the increasing cases of extended hours of robbery in daylight. In the past one month, a total of five suspects were killed in different encounters, whereas police officers had died plenty.
Ba Mu, Us Ji, V Eti, Ati Ab's lawyer Ri Ta were among governors and personalities in the country that had been attacked by armed robbers, amongst others.
Many people were receiving treatment at the hospital. Ja Riko was shot and wounded when he foiled attempt to rob him and his family by a group of armed men who stormed his house. But his son was cut down by the bullets of the criminals.
Foreigners were affected, too. Many of the gunmen were operating on motorcycles. An American expatriate was shot dead some months ago. The assailants fled. Foreigners fled the country. Businesses stalled.
They attacked Bureau De Change and moving Bullion vans. This was the new mode of operation by armed robbers. Instead of rather making a go at the banks strong rooms, armed robbers do not wait for the money to reach there, they grab the haul.
Armed robbers also sent warning letters to their latent victims. Sometimes the victims pay huge sums to avert death. Armed robbers also camouflage in police or military uniforms. Many people on the contrary believed that some debauched policemen engage in armed robbery. Many policemen have been dismissed from the police force because of this. Many security agents’ riffles were discovered when a military team foiled armed robbery attempt and the armed robbers fled abandoning their arms.
Keke, Obi and the man in their hideout were watching the police who arrived to save the Bullion van if they could also foil the armed robbers. The police arrived with armored tanker. But their presence seemed not to scare the robbers who attacked the police.
The police ran away, with many of them taking off their uniforms, so that nobody would recognize them as the police.
“I can’t afford to die for a country that wouldn’t take care of my family,” one policeman muttered, as he ran. Some of the policemen who took off their clothes preferred the pants and singlets they wore to being seen in the uniforms by the armed robbers. Keke and Obika gasped, including the man. Then Obika started reciting some lines in a low tone:
We have tried to love you,
Fortissimo.
We have tried to cooperate with you,
Fortissimo.
We have tried to right the wrong
Fortissimo.
Yet, you don’t want to grow.
By then, the armed robbers had carted away the money in the Bullion van. The police had earlier fled. They abandoned the driver of the van in his own pool of blood. Blood, which wouldn’t redeem confidence and hope about the future in Fortissimo.
About the Author:
Odimegwu Onwumere is a poet and author born in Accra, Ghana of Nigerian parents. His essays and literary works have appeared in many international and local media outfits. He resides in Oyigbo, Rivers State, Nigeria. Mobile contact: +2348032552855. Email: apoet_25@yahoo.com
Comment on “Blood” from Nkong Kima, a Cameroonian critic:
The cankerworm obliterating the solid rock holding the shaky foundation of Africa is entirely a manmade peril. Citizens relegate their ultimate role in nation building to encamp in savagery and deeds of personal advantage at the expense of their fellow kind. Yet, the so-called security watchdogs are either accomplice to the malaise or incompetent robots to rescue mankind. Odimegwu Onwumere sees this to be an incurable challenge in the task of nation building.
