Helen, a nurse at the Lagos teaching hospital had just finished her shift at the hospital and was heading home already after she received a call from her grandmother, she called to inform Helen that someone was walking around the house.
"Are you sure about this? It's just 5am," Nurse Kike reminded Helen of the time, pointing to the wall clock at the reception.
"Grandma can be funny but that doesn't mean I shouldn't leave as early as I can. She might have seen an intruder," Helen replied, signing out on the logbook.
"Just wait an hour more or call your neighbors to help you check grandma. You know how dangerous this city is," Kike advised as she strolled behind Helen.
"I will be fine. I will text you immediately when I arrive home," Helen replied Kike and went out of the hospital building. The security guards at the hospital gate advised her to wait till 6am but she was adamant. One of them walked her to the bus stop where she got a bike, and he captured the bike plate number just in case the unexpected happened.
Immediately, Helen arrived at her street junction, she alighted from the bike and started trekking home. Her neighborhood was unbelievably quiet and it made her worried.
She reached for a torchlight in her bag, turned it on to have a clear view because it was still dark. She also called Kike on WhatsApp as she gently walked down the street.
"It's too quiet, maybe something happened overnight. Just stay on the call for me," Helen said shakily.
"I warned you, Helen. Please be safe," Kike replied.
"I'm on my street now, very close to the house, and haven't seen a single person. I just hope my grandma is safe," Helen informed Kike a few minutes later.
"What could have happened? Did you call Grandma again?" Kike asked.
"Yes, I did when I got to the junction earlier but she wasn't picking up," Helen whispered when she noticed a figure approaching her.
"Someone is coming," she stuttered and quickly put her phone in her uniform pocket.
"Who? Where exactly are you now? Kike asked but didn't get any response. She started to panic but there was nothing she could do.
Helen and the figure walked past each other. She felt relieved and stopped to breathe but she noticed the figure was approaching her again. Helen ran but fell almost immediately and the stranger caught up with her.
A vehicle light flashed right in front of her and the stranger grabbed her, covering her mouth before she could say anything. She was forced into the vehicle and they took off immediately. There were two other people in the vehicle and Helen's heart was pounding heavily.
"Please, let me go. I didn't do anything," Helen pleaded as the vehicle moved at high speed.
"We will but for now, just cooperate with us. We won't hurt you," One of the men in the vehicle assured her but Helen wasn't convinced.
She was crying and pleading but they stopped answering her. After less than thirty thirty-minute drive, the vehicle drove into a compound whose gate was shut immediately they drove in. Helen was assisted out of the vehicle and she was wondering why they didn't blindfold or tie her hands.
There were people including men and women waiting for their arrival, Helen didn't understand what was happening so she looked around to have a clue of where they were. It was a tall building with a tall fence and people patrolling with dogs and guns.
Kike! She thought and tried reaching for her phone but it was nowhere to be found and she felt bad. Helen was deeply lost in thought thinking of what to do.
"Good morning Miss Helen," A female voice called Helen back to reality.
"Please I don't have money. I am an orphan who lives with her grandmother and she's probably in danger as we speak," Helen stuttered.
"Your grandmother is not in any danger as we speak, she's in a safe house just as you are," The woman replied.
"Safe house? Are we in danger? Are you keeping us hostage?" Helen stuttered.
"Like I said earlier, you and grandma are safe. I am Mrs Kalejaiye, the Chief of the Lagos antiterrorism department," She paused and went into the building. Helen followed and immediately she entered the building, she knew there was no cause for alarm.
"We've been tracking some hardened criminals in the city for sometime now and unfortunately, we had a face off in your neighborhood over the night that left a few people injured including our men," Mrs Kalejaiye told Helen while staring at a big screen showing her neighborhood map.
"I can help you treat them," Helen replied.
"Our men are receiving the best treatment right now and we are more concerned about the criminals because they are in your neighborhood looking for a nurse. We tapped into their communication line and one of the criminals described your house so we had to pick you up before they did," Mrs Kalejaiye replied.
"My grandmother said she heard footsteps at home and how did you know I was the right person," Helen asked.
"Yes, it was our officers who went to pick up your grandma and we have access to any information we want in this state.
We called your workplace and they shared with us your movement. We've planted someone pretending to be your grandma and you so that we can get this criminal's hideout to end this at once," Mrs Kalejaiye replied.
Helen was offered a seat and she sat beside Mrs Kalejaiye who was waiting for the officers who playing the hostage game with the criminal.
"Chief, we are picking up signals from our officers tracker but at two different locations. It seems they took them to separate places," Officer Kunle reported to Mrs Kalejaiye who rose from her chair immediately.
"We need every backup we can get at those two locations immediately and we are busting those places at the same time. No errors and I want my officers out of that place in one piece," Mrs Kalejaiye ordered.
She left Helen to gear up and returned having a bulletproof vest on. She was carrying a rifle and there were other officers dressed like her, carrying different types of guns.
They left the hall and Helen just sat there praying, it was the only way to show support. Other officers monitored the operation on the big screen and Helen did the same even though she didn't understand much.
About an hour had passed when the officers started screaming with joy hugging one another. Helen was confused and quickly approached one female officer to ask what was happening.
"We've captured them. It was smooth and easy because the criminals surrendered, they were heavily outnumbered. I am sure you can leave once the chief approves it," Officer Magret told Helen who felt happy too but she was eager to see her grandmother.
Some minutes past 11am, Mrs Kalejaiye returned and broke the news of the successful operation to Helen.
"You can now reunite with your grandmother but don't ever tell anyone what happened. It could put you and grandma in danger," Mrs Kalejaiye warned Helen explaining that there could still be more of these guys lurking around.
She was taken back to her street junction and this time, there were people on the street celebrating the police victory.
Helen hurried her steps home and immediately she saw her grandmother, she broke into tears hugging her tightly.
"Don't cry my dear, I am glad the police got to us before they did. I am making you hot porridge already," Grandma whispered.