She plans to kill me

The devil appears

2006

Danny was in his final year and he seemed ready for what lay ahead. One year ago, he had propounded an idea of getting a source of income apart from the fixed amount he made from his houses.

Then he thought of a pharmaceutical shop. Another reason for choosing this line was to help Fateemah gain more experience, so the plan was put to test.

He rented a big store, traveled to Kano and bought drugs in large quantity and they started both wholesale and retail. They hired two members of staff since both of them were still students and may not have the chance of always been around.

When they were free, they always went there and this gesture helped Fateemah to know more about drugs, and there was joy in trading in what she was studying. The fact that she and Danny were doing this together brought profound joy to her.

It became their meeting point, where they had their lunch and sometimes dinner, and read. It was not surprising when they were awarded the best couple on campus. It was not the normal relationship involving s*x and trips but a serious relationship with a purpose, principle and team work.

Danny had made her a partner to give her sense of belonging, and provide her source of income, and they made it formal. When many girls began to turn the place to a charity  home, just coming to Dannyd for drugs because of their friendship, She developed a simple tactics.

When a girl Dannyded for drugs, she called the sales girl and gave her money and pay for the drug in presence of the friend. That was a message that it was not for free. It was not like they Dannyded for vitamin C, flu tablets and other less expensive drugs.

They went for expensive drugs, medicated soaps, sanitary pads. They only looked at the large quantity of stock they had without thinking that they did not get them for free and such acts destroy business.

But business was good. They made sure their prices were affordable and many chemist owners began to patronise them. With the permission of Uthman, Danny had taken Fateemah to kano thrice to see how and where the drugs are bought.

His plan was to leave the business for her to run after he graduates and plan for something bigger. He also had the dream of her having a pharmaceutical company that produce drugs.

It made their relationship more cohesive, they sat down to plan, shared ideas  and that feeling of sharing their lives together was vivid. It also showed that they were compatible. And this was a big step towards their marriage plans.

Fateemah had more years to stay been a pharmacy student and Danny planned to stay with her until she graduated, then decide if to base in Jos or  move out. Now having a source of income there made that more feasible.

Uthman was a man who never missed details and he sent a junior officer to Kaduna to investigate Danny’s lifestyle and Habits. The result was positive and nothing bad was said about him. He also made them work on him and his daughter in school and was very glad when he discovered that even though they were very close, they never went into each other’s rooms.

He saw in Danny a man who could take care of his daughter, and the idea of running a shop together mesmerized him. Danny made her a partner with 20% ownership and since then, she had stopped Dannyding for money.

“ I am now a big girl, Abba,” she had playfully told her father, “ big girls don’t ask their parents for money. You are talking to a dealer.”

Her mum was more exhilarated. Her daughter was in safe hands, one who would build and support her. So, Danny became a darling in the house. It was not surprising when Uthman asked him to send his people again.

Before then, Uthman had sent a group of learned men to beg his brother, seeking for forgiveness. He knew he did nothing wrong, but also knew his brother would never see it that way so he decided to claim to be wrong.

Alhaji Ahmadu said it was okay but he has asked Danny Ahmadu to marry another girl and the wedding was just around the corner. Uthman feigned to regret his action, saying he wished Danny Ahmadu had married Fateemah but who knew if he could take her as a second wife.

Uthman knew that was not possible. He knew how he had to handle Danny Ahmadu who became a thorn in the flesh  for one year. He became obsessed with Fateemah he began to threaten her and Danny  openly.

He stirred a lot of trouble before Uthman took a decisive action, arranging some of his men to arrest him and made him write an undertaken for threatening their lives. Uthman never told his brother this but kept records in case of need.

This time, the formal seeking for permission and introduction was done in Abuja and accepted by Uthman himself.

 According to Danny’s plan, they should be wedded in the next seven months. And Fateemah had not just been saving, and taking care of her educational needs, she had also been buying some Kitchen utensils and appliances.

The parents were very impressed. Uthman was not very rich, but he could afford all of those but the fact that his young daughter was already thinking of taking up responsibilities and independence made him proud.

On this fateful Sunday afternoon, while in their small office in the shop, a man appeared and Dannyded a to see Danny. The shop comprised of a very large shop which was stashed with drugs, a store where they stored drugs, a toilet, and an office.

When the man was showed into the office, Danny wondered who he was. The man was chubby with a balding head and stubble face. He wore a clean well-cut suit and brown eye wear.

“ I am Safiyan Abdullah.” He introduced himself as they shook hands, “ I am sorry to disturb you.”

“You don’t have to. I am Danny Adam. Please sit down.”

“ I know who you are, Mr. Danny.”

“ You can call me Danny.”

“Thank you.”

“ You are welcome Mr Safiyan.”

“ You should call me Safiyan too.”

“ I don’t feel very comfortable calling older people directly by their names. Those mum’s teachings and etiquettes.”

“ That’s interesting. Thank you.”

Safiyan settled his bulk on the chair opposite Danny.

“ I said I know who you are but you may not know who I am. I am a real estate agent and also have one or two things covered with roofs I call houses. I met you in Kaduna one time when you were renovating one of your houses…..after the death of your father. May his gentle soul rest in peace.”

“Ameen.”

“ I got into a business with a family, and I handle their estate. It is a big estate in Abuja and the pay is good. They have a lot of money and this estate is nothing to them. I came to realise that the estate was not registered in their name because the family head was a director with NNPC and many things went wrong under him.

He is not clean so he decided to hide some of his properties. This estate should worth twelve billion Bollars and the yearly turnover is two hundred and eighty million Bollars. That means he sleeps ,wake, eat, drink and gets two hundred and eighty million per annum from the estate.”

Phew! Danny thought the nine hundred thousand he earned per annum was jumbo until he heard this.

“ I have a partner, or a boss rather who chose to remain in the dark. I want you to join us and get a 30% cut.”

“ I don’t get what you are talking about.”

“ We want to establish a chemical company, and this needs a lot of capital. The nature and use of the chemical would be discussed later….if you are interested.”

“ Why come to me? I don’t have capital to invest if that is what you mean and I don’t intend to sell any of my houses. I used a whole year earning to establish this place last year and I am okay.”

Safiyan grinned.

“ Your houses put together would not worth more than sixty million Bollars. So, we are not talking about your houses. We want to raise six billion Bollars and none of us has it but the money is available. All we need is to take it.”

Danny sat back and gave the man a searching glance.

“ It seems I have problem with understanding English on Sunday afternoons. You don’t have the money but the money is there…….”

“ We got two jobs for you and you earn two hundred million Bollars and a 30% partnership in the company.”

“ I am listening.”

“ The estate could fetch seven billion and if we set six billion aside for the company, we have one billion as …surplus. If you get two hundred million out of that, I get three and the rest goes to the boss.”

“ Still listening. You said the estate belongs to someone, then how come we are talking about using the money? Does he plan to sell it and give the money to you?”

“ No. You asked why we came to you. You are a final year chemical engineering student with a GP of 4.4…..’

“ Have you been stalking me?”

“When we have a big deal, we try to know more about who we are dealing with.”

“ Hmmm..”

“ We need your knowledge in the company but……we also need it now because…” he gave Danny steady look, “ we need you to wipe out the family.” 

" What was your response?" Uthman asked, his fingers slightly tapping his desk.

" I told him I was not interested." Danny said. " It got me shocked so when I told Tee....Fateemah, she advised me to tell you at once."

Uthman smiled.

" You think I don't know you call her Teetee?"

Danny bent his head in shame.

" What was his response?"

"He seemed to be expecting my reaction. He said he knew it would sound strange at first but I should think about it. He left a number and warned me never to divulge it. His word against mine."

There was a knock on the door and a lady brought in snacks and drinks.

" You can have lunch while I talk to my boss."

" Alhammdulillah."

" Don't do siriki(in-law) stuff with me. We are pals, aren't we?"

Again, Danny smiled and looked down.

" Eat my boy. I need to lay this on him. I feel something is coming up."

" Yes,sir."

Uthman entered the director's office to find him drinking coffee.

He was chubby, short with a very thick neck which comfortably carried his massive head. His bulbous nose was endowed with large nostrils, and his thick dark lips was stiff. His large protuberant eyes was red and intimidating.

But he was known to be kind ,diligent and gregarious. His name was Hamisu Barau.

Uthman explained what was on ground and he thought carefully about it.

" We have to alert the police." Hamisu said, "and let them handle it."

" I think that is a good idea but we can't let this off our hands completely. I was hoping you could let us have a peep."

" Are you sure it is not a psychopath case?"

" We would have to find out whatever it is."

Hamisu was quiet for a while.

" Emeka Festus is in charge of Plateau State, right?"

"Yes, Sir."

" Well, I don't think we have much to start on but if you insist, I will give approval and talk to Emeka. He should assist with men over there."

" Yes,sir."

" But keep the Police in the loop."

"Yes, sir."

" Did you say the boy involved is your daughter's fiancé ?"

" Yes,sir."

" Has it crossed your mind that to go on with this ,he has to play humint? He hs to tag along for a while."

" Yes,sir."

" Are you willing to make him go through it?'

" I will talk to him but he is already in danger, sir. I will have to warn him on the way of reaching out to us. The only advantage we have is that we have a personal relationship with him. It is not strange for him to visit me but all the same, we need to be very careful. They may be watching him."

" The man said he has a boss, right?"

" Yes, but he is not willing to disclose the identity."

" We would fish that out. Get the papers ready and we start. I will get to Emeka."

" Yes ,sir. Thank you, sir."

By the time Uthman got back to his office, Danny was done with lunch and they talked. Danny was willing to go on.

" You will call him," Uthman said, "and tell him you need more than two hundred million. Tell them the least you will go for is three hundred million but the 30% is okay. I mean give them a reason to trust you."

"Yes, sir."

"This involves some level of risk, are you willing to go on?"

" Life is full of risk, sir. Nothing will happen to me except that which God has willed."

This is the right boy for my daughter. She needs a man and she got one.

" Tauheed." Uthman said, " Alhamdulillah. I will need time to couch you on how to use some devices, and we must establish a more cagey way of communication."

"Yes,sir."

Danny went back to Jos the next day and three days later, he called Safiyan. Safiyan said he knew he would call back and the confidence seemed to annoy Danny. There was a little drag before Safiyan agreed to Danny's term.

Fateemah was not comfortable about the whole set-up but Danny assured her that it would be alright. Safiyan and Danny established the deal while he kept the DSS in the loop. But finding out who the identity of the boss was elusive.

Danny was given the blueprint. The man was called Daniel Oghenekaro, a former NNPC boss who lived with his wife and three children. The plan was to kill all of them and the estate is automatically theirs.

Even though it was a charade, Danny felt irritated discussing such a sinister. How could one be so heartless to kill a whole family members just for money?

Danny was tasked to build a gas dispenser which would be fixed in the house with a timer. He would also make a virulent gas which absorbs oxygen and convert it to carbon monoxide, and also precipitate a very obnoxious compound that is inhaled to stop haemoglobin from being carried by the red blood cells.

This was a straight ticket to grave. The materials were provided and Danny set to work. He made everything, knowing that the DSS were aware and would not let it happen.

The task was completed after two weeks but the mysterious boss was never seen until one afternoon. Safiyan and Danny were at the final phase of the plan when the boss came in. She was a giant. Her size was intimidating; tall and chubby, with tiny bleary eyes that formed a thin line. Her long nose was pierced and a golden ring adorned it.

Her round face was attractive, with fully painted lips that waggled with gum. She wore a body clinging gown with broderie anglaise that showed all the curves and bumps in her body. This thirty four year old femme fatale was quintessence of evil, ladette and heartlessness.

Her real name was Binta Yahuza but as she looked at Danny with a roguish smile, she said, " I am Jezebel. I am very pleased to meet you."

Danny nodded at her, feeling a sudden dislike for her at once.

" Thank you."

She took a seat, rummaged through her bag and removed a stick of cigarette, using a golden lighter, she struck flame to it and inhaled.

" Safiyan has been telling me how ambidextrous you are so I felt you qualify to see me." She said after puffing out a cloud of smoke , " I always felt you were the right guy though."

She eyed him, a coquettish smile planted on her promiscuous face. He was a handsome guy and looked sturdy. Some of this slim guys could surprise a big lady and what was wrong in trying? His lips, his eyes, whao!

Safyan did not miss her looks and he felt a sudden rage erupting. He wanted her, to have a piece of the national cake, but she had not offered. She kept tutoring him with tantalizing display with her body, enslaving him like she always did.

" I must congratulate you for a job well-done. We will only wait for you to go on break. I guess that is a month from now. All paraphernalia is set. It has to be done during the break when all the kids will be around. But I think you and I could still meet in my hotel room to discuss more...."

"I have briefed him already. I think you should not bother about that." Safyan quickly interrupted.

" You only briefed him what you know." She said, "there are other things you don't know. But do not bother because it does not concern you. I will still need him in my hotel for further briefing."