When one considers how the mob’s rage seemed so focused on the three young men they were killing – murdering – at least some of the conditions of a staged crime scene could apply. Take the aggression directed at the victims before they were burnt. Classic premeditation. And the tyres. Surely they couldn’t have just appeared. Someone, or some people, had to have gone out of their way to bring them to the crime scene, which for this exercise I should limit to where the boys were finally killed.
Philip Taiwo has returned from America to Nigeria with his wife Folake and his children, Afolake has come to Lagos to become the youngest professor of law at the university. Philip is an investigative psychologist, in Lagos he has a temporary job as a guest lecturer at the police college.
Taiwo, has been hired by one of his influential father’s friend’s to investigate an infamous murder, copiously filmed and posted on the internet, known as the Okriki three that were burned alive by a mob in Okriki. Taiwo begins to investigate based on the films as described in the opening quote.
As he flies out to Okriki, he discovers the state of the flights as he waits for the best part of a day without any information and as boarding begins he sees Salome Briggs arrive for the flight, she has the seat next to his:
‘I was afraid I’d be late.’ She smooths her dress and settles back in her seat. ‘The flight was delayed.’ ‘My queue boy told me, but the traffic getting here was manic.’ ‘Queue boy?’ She raises an expertly pencilled eyebrow. ‘Someone you hire to stand in the queue for you. These flights are always late. So, you pay someone to stand in the queue and check you in. They call you as soon as boarding starts.’
As he arrives at Okriki he is met by Chika, his driver, paid for by his father’s friend, the father of one of the Okriki three. They are less than welcome in Okriki, especially at the police station where the situation is explained to them:
‘I’m sure you follow the news. The sad incident was investigated. Twenty-three people were arrested and I believe seven of them are on trial now. The case is in court. Justice is being carried out, and our job is done. Hence, the case is closed.’
In a relatively short period of time they tie the incident down to the visit that two of the three students , Bono and Winston made off campus to Godwin at his flat. But were they try to shake him down? Who had the gun that attracted the mob? And why did nobody talk about the third victim, Kevin Nwamadi as being present at the incident?
‘Yes. They sent different guys to harass me, but I knew them all. It was Bona and Winston they sent that day. They wanted me to give them money, and I told them I didn’t have any, so they wanted to claim my laptop, TV and cell phone. I said no. They insisted and just walked into my room and started taking stuff. That was when I shouted “thief!” because I thought it would make them stop and we could talk about things and come to an agreement.’ ‘But people heard you,’ I state, like I was with Godwin that day. ‘No. It was not the shouting that brought people. It was when Winston shot the gun.’ ‘Winston was carrying a gun?’ I ask as if this is a new piece of information.
Add to this story, that Salome Briggs is defending one of the mob and that in influential circles everyone knows each other and may even be related. That there also seems to be racial and religious tensions ready to boil over and we have a very delicate investigation. Is someone behind all of this tension? Well read it to find out!
First published in English by Raven Books in 2021
South of Paris books 