On a very hot afternoon, the sun was almost roasting my skin out of my body. It was about 2pm, I was going to my house from school where I went to do my final year clearance. I was walking down to where I could get a keke (tricycle) to take me home, I stopped at the junction to get some fruit and i saw a young man between the age of 30-35years, properly dressed in sky blue shirt tucked into his black plain trouser with a brown belt and brown shoe and his bag hung around his shoulders, and i guess he was waiting for bus along other people at the junction.
After a while, a long motorbus arrived and people started moving into the motorbus, but then I was walking gently to enter my keke admiring the color combination of this young man’s dressing. The environment was so dirty and scattered and was filled with hoodlum (agboro) hanging about waiting for buses to come so they will load the bus and collect their normal 50 Naira. Then all of a sudden, a lady shouted, "olé olé, thief, thief, catch am, he steal my money, see am, na thief, you steal my money and you wan enter bus run", before you know it heavy slap from no where landed on his face. What did I do? He asked politely, you be thief the lady replied. Then those hoodlums picked woods and materials of different sizes and started hitting him not minding his appearance. Tears was almost rolling down my eyes considering how dirty Dis guys hitting him and clean and orderly he was dressed. Desmond could not possibly be a thief judging him by appearance and look. "Shey na u dy thief ppl property for Dis market?? Today you go see" , someone shouted approaching him with Barton. His sky blue shirt was gradually out from his trouser and cutting down patch by patch. "You stole my money, olé, olé, thief, give me my money", she was still lamenting. "How much hin still from you madam??" One of the hoodlum asked. "My five thousand, this man na thief". Then they searched him and found five thousand naira and small small change, 100naira, 50naira and 20naira. "You see am?? This man na barrawo". The woman shouted. "I can explain, please wait let me explain", Desmond pleaded exhaustingly, but the beating only increased because five thousand naira was found in his wallet, they were hitting him so hard that his flesh came out with the sticks as he was gradually going naked. "Arrrrh, arrrrh, let me explain, I did not steal her money", Desmond continue to lament as gradually his voice reduced. Arrrrh, arrrh, arrrrh he could nearly say a word when they hit him stone and sticks. "Çhaii, see fine boy, see how em dress like banker, dy steal, na wetin fit am", said one woman as she watch from a distance. "I get fuel, me I get tyre, if you leave am, him go steal again". Said one of the hoodlums. Then Desmond was already half naked and could no longer move properly. There I was by the side of the road with heavy tears rolling down my eyes. Then I saw dirty people that could not afford 3² meal a day contributing 250niara per litre fuel and tyre. The tyre was placed on his head and body, they poured the fuel on him and then one matchstick was enough to end his life in pain and agony.
Arrrrrrrrrrh, Desmond shouted in great pain as he struggled to get up but was exhausted. Those hoodlums turned away one after another as the heat from the fire on Desmond's body was getting high. Desmond was gradually turning into black smoke and people that watched from distance all went away sorrowfully, Desmond died slowly but painfully. The woman watched how Bernard was dying and she heared someone calling "mummy mummy" she turned and then saw her son junior running towards her and on reaching her he said loudly dragging the crowds attention,"mummy daddy say make I give you this 5000naira, say him carry am from ur bag". Eyes widened, jaw dropped and someone let out a cry, "no be him steal the money oooo" but Desmond was just ash by then. It was 9:00pm that day, Desmonds wife( newly married with her 3months old baby boy) called her elder sis. "Hello Ada, did you say Desmond came to shop today??" She asked, "Yes, and I gave him five thousand to give to you, is he not back?" Her sister replied. "Oh my God, he’s not back. Where has he gone to?? My husband is not like that, he had never returned this late before". Desmond's wife replied with her baby in her hand. He will be back dear, maybe he branched to see a friend.
This is my story and it’s all fiction. It happens everyday in my country Nigeria.
JUNGLE JUSTICE IS NOT THE BEST OPTION, LET’S STOP JUNGLE JUSTICE TODAY AND SAVE LIFE, BOTH THE INNOCENT AND THE GUILTY. I SAY NO TO JUNGLE JUSTICE.