[Story] The Bonny Island Massacre – S01 E11

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 11

Mira sat in her house with fear, her doors were locked tight and even when her neighbor came to knock, she refused to open. Any sound she heard, took her to the window, where she would peek at the surrounding of her apartment to ascertain if there were any strange faces around. She had seen Yvonne being led away to prison, on television. Then her phone began to ring, it was a number she did not recognize, so she didn’t pick up. She wouldn’t have picked, even if it was a number she knew. Mira was that scared.

The news was all over the country and even in the International news. They were tagging it ‘The Bonny Island Massacre’. It was so named because, the Ngegwu mansion which was the scene of the massacre, was located in Bonny Island. Some mischievously called it ‘The Black Birthday’. Mira watched all these with a passive face, except for the occasional peeking out the window, one would think she was unaffected by the event.

By noon, the names of the twenty (20) dead people had been released to the public. Among the twenty people, there was Daisy of Daisy Advertising, Danlattu, a top notch member of AFC and his running mate in the forth coming presidential elections. People were beginning to form their opinions about the massacre. Some said that it was political, seeing as the only politicians at the party who ate the cake were from the ruling party. Even though Yvonne was not a politician, she used her father’s clout and got favors from those in the corridors of power, and because, her father was a strong member of the opposition party, NPC, it was concluded that she had been used to assassinate two top notch politicians who were rumored to win the ticket in the party to run in the forth coming election as President and Vice-President.

Making issues worse, were the pictures that Yvonne was sure Daisy had orchestrated, to be posted on the Internet, while she was alive. It was the picture of Yvonne in deep conversation with Raji Lawal, and the public had concluded that Raji had given her the contract to assassinate the two politicians from AFC. This was like heating the embers, as politicians from both parties were seen having interviews, discussing the Bonny Island massacre. The politicians from AFC were sure that the Bonny Island massacre was political and aimed at destroying the chances of AFC at the polls. The politicians on the other side of the fence were sure they had better chances at the poll, seeing as the AFC led government had plunged the masses into penury, therefore they didn’t need to resort to such measures.

Raji Lawal was invited by the Police for questioning where he denied giving any contract to Yvonne, and told the police that their meeting was a friendly one, and there was nothing political to it. However, as he was stepping out of the Police station, the agency responsible for security of State, NSS, picked him up.

The media did not disappoint. Every television station political talk show was centered around, whether Yvonne was contracted to assassinate the two politicians from AFC or not. Political experts were invited to deliberate on the issue; all but one believed that the massacre at Bonny Island was political. The man, who didn’t believe it was political, said that perhaps Yvonne was having a mental breakdown. But nobody ever doubted that Yvonne was responsible for poisoning the cake.

While this was ongoing, Yvonne was being drilled by detective Musa and two of his assistants, they wanted her to tell them, why she poisoned the cake. They played a recording for her to listen to, it was a recording of an interrogation. Prior to arresting her, the night before, they had arrested the owner of the event planning outfit that was in charge of the birthday party, and questioned her all through the night. She had confessed that, she and her team were in charge of the food and drink, but for the cake, she told the detective that Yvonne had insisted on making the cake herself.

When the detective asked if they had handled any event for her before, she replied in the affirmative, and when he asked if Yvonne had made such request before, she said no. The detective thought for a while and told the woman to leave, but not to leave the state.

So it was the recording of the investigation they played to Yvonne’s hearing. Even listening to the woman who handled all her events, Yvonne already felt guilty.

Detective Musa: “Was that woman lying in any way?” he asked, bringing his face close to Yvonne’s. Yvonne just shook her head, but the look in the detective’s eyes told her that shaking the head was not enough.

Yvonne: “No, she was not lying” she replied, sealing her fate.

Detective Musa: “So you agree that, you had an ulterior motive?” he asked, with a hard stare

Yvonne: “I did not say that, don’t you dare twist my word!” she yelled, jumping out of the chair. The two sergeants with the detective held her on each side and pushed her down to the chair.

Detective Musa: “You think we are playing here? He asked, “Just wait, when I hand you over to my boys, you will know we mean business” he concluded.

Just then, the door opened and one of her father’s lawyers walked into the interrogation, with Yvonne’s father on his heels.

Prince Ngegwu: “This interrogation is over and I assure you detective that, you will lose your badge before this day is over” he said agitated. Yvonne just watched him, with angry eyes. For a moment, she forgot the trouble she was in, and concentrated on hating the father who had abandoned her all her life. It had taken a police case to bring him home, even though it was her birthday.

Detective Musa: “Who said so? Your money and power has no binding on this office. I say when the interrogation is over” he barked with anger.

Detective Musa had crawled from a life of poverty and diseases in a village, north of the country. So, he disliked anybody of affluence.

Yvonne’s lawyer: “But the law however, is binding here. The Miss has been granted bail, so this interrogation is over and never try to interrogate her again, without the presence of her lawyer, or else we would sue this division” said the smart looking lawyer from Berkeley and Berkett law firm, in a calm and cold voice that carried authority.

The detective gave him the stink eye, for he hated lawyers as much as he hated wealthy people. He felt they wielded power too much because they knew the nook and cranny of the law, and could twist it to suit them.

Detective Musa: “Where is the bail bond?” he demanded. The lawyer flung the paper at him, and detective Musa had to bend to pick it up. It was a position he didn’t like, and he felt insulted. He nodded at his subordinates and they released Yvonne.

On their way home, she sat at the back with her father, while the lawyer sat beside the driver. She turned her face to the window, refusing to acknowledge her father.

Prince Ngegwu: “Would you at least, be grateful, you were going to rot there till the day of trial, if I had not moved mountains for you” he quipped, and Yvonne could detect a note of distaste in his voice.

Yvonne: “Thank you” she replied curtly, but her father was having none of that.

Prince Ngegwu: “What the hell is wrong with you? I have given you everything, even that which you do not deserve and what did you do in appreciation? You go ahead and rub my name in the mud! A name you do not even deserve” he thundered. This just opened the can of worms which Yvonne had done her best to keep a tight lid on.

Yvonne: “Oh really, now you are doing me favors. Who asked you for all that?” she yelled back, facing her father squarely, “All my life I have done everything I could to deserve your love, even when you are my father, why do I have to beg for your love? You shower me with gifts that I do not need, but the one thing I have needed, you have kept away from me” she said, her voice lowering to barely a whisper, and her eyes shimmery with unshed tears.

Prince Ngegwu: “I am not your father!” he exclaimed, and it was like cold water was poured on Yvonne. She stared at her father, with questions racing in her mind, but her lips being unable to form the words.