By Abdulmajid Bala Kangiwa
That week my story was featured in the famous Morroco 101 column and I got some tremendous piece of advice , many a student sympathized with me and encouraged me never to give up. I said to myself "I must not lose ground" even though i didn't see any ray of hope, it never appeared to me to give up so easily.
For the whole week, I haven't set my eyes on her , I so much missed her. I could not focus on my academics anymore. I have strayed from lectures nor could I even read my notes, always in thoughts asking myself questions I didn't seem to have answers to.
Though her mom wasn't in support of the decision taken by her husband, I could understand why she would'nt let me speak to Zainab through her phone. I thought of calling Hadiza for help but my instinct didn't let me " That witch is going to aggravate things" I thought better of it "I'm going to that house, whatever the result might be I'm ready for it.
I was in a deep thought of whether to call her mom and plead again or not when her call came through, I quickly picked up. " Hello" from the other side melted my heart I didn't know when tears started rolling down my cheeks. It was Zainab's voice full of sorrow, she secretly took her mom's phone to call me. We talked tirelessly about nothing but everything and concluded to meet tomorrow at a park not too far from her home.
That night I keenly waited for the day to break. Early in the morning I woke up to eat, dressed and took off on a mission to meet my beloved one. I waited optimistically for hours hoping to have a gaze that will flush away all my sorrows, but it never happened for I waited the whole day she never appeared, and I remember she asked me not to call back, she woudn't want anybody to know she called me. I went back to campus with a heavy heart so exhausted and disappointed.
Just thirty minutes to my return three Hilux cars carrying heavy armed police men trooped inside campus hostel asking for me, they said they have warrant to arrest me for the kidnapping of Zainab, daughter of the prominent politician Alhaji Idris Sokoto.
"What" I shouted " I know nothing about that sir!"
"Shut up boy, now move!" One of the officers shouted as they handcuff me.
I pleaded and did all sort of things just so that the officers would understand and leave me, but they never seem to understand. They dragged and pushed me to the cell, as we reached the police station. I kept on shouting " I know nothing about it" but it is more like "I did it " in their ears.
They beat me mercilessly and tortured me terribly but I still stood still by my words "I am innocent" I would never admit being guilty for a crime I didn't commit. They beat me untill some of them start to believe that I was really innocent.
Her dad arrived early in the morning and police explained to him but he didn't believe its not me that took her away, so he came to me himself though I couldn't see him clearly because my face has been wounded, but his voice indicated that he was pleading.
"Boy" he started calmly " I beg you in the name of God, tell me where my daughter is. See its not fair" he started sobbing "Yesterday's night was our worst day in this world we slept without knowing the condition our daughter was in. I have raised my girl for almost 20 years with profound love and care but you just appeared few months from now and make her feels like I'm her enemy and now you have gone far to taking her away from me. She is the only daughter I have, do you think you love her more than I do" he couldn't hold the tears but still controlled himself " you don't even have a job and you want to marry her, oh! You love her because of my money? What if tomorrow I don't have the money ? Does that mean you are going to treat my girl like a garbage" his sobbing grew more that he couldn't speak. He turned away furiously then asked the police to torture me more until I admitted and told them where I was hiding her.
I was acutely in pain but his speech just poured more misery into my heart. I felt useless and needless in this world.
Anticipate the last episode next week.....
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