Chapter 1: The Crime Scene

No matter how strong a man think say him be—whether na self-control, calmness, or sharp brain—he still fit fall yakata for woman matter if she decide to use her wahala.

For this our Naija, e no be today this kind story start. E get as woman fit just use smile, her voice, or even just one eye wey she take look you, make man begin dey misbehave. As elders dey always talk, "Na where woman dey, na there trouble dey hide." Sometimes, you go dey feel say you get control, only for ground to shift under your leg because of woman palava.

The first major murder case for Ebonyi State in 2010, wey later become case study for Naija police training school, na perfect example.

Till today, police cadets for Abuja dey use this matter do example when dem dey learn about wetin dem call 'inside job' and how things dey happen behind closed doors for this our country.

On 26th October 2010, police for Okposi, Ebonyi, receive call from one man say dem don thief for him house.

That Tuesday morning, thunder dey rumble for distance, breeze dey blow dust and wet leaf enter station window, as the DPO phone ring. The caller voice dey shake small, like person wey don see wetin him no suppose see for this life.

For beginning, the officers for Okposi police station feel say na ordinary stealing, so dem send some boys make dem go check am.

As dem dey rush wear uniform, one officer mutter, "Hope say na only TV dem carry this time. Last week, na goat dem thief for Mama Uche place." Dem just dey laugh small, thinking say na normal everyday case—maybe some boys jump fence for night come carry TV or generator.

But when dem reach the house, wetin dem see pass their expectation—a young woman dey hidden inside the owner wardrobe.

The policemen freeze for one second, exchange quick eye. For Naija, no be everyday you open person wardrobe see this kind wahala.

Her Aba-made lace nightgown tear everywhere, leaving most of her brown skin exposed.

You know that kind sight wey even hard man go shift him eye? The torn Aba lace dey show Ifeoma skin like say the world don tire her. The cold morning air heavy for the room, silent wahala just dey everywhere.

Her eyes shut tight, with big bloodstain for the back of her head.

Some of the police officers hiss, make sign of the cross, even mutter, "Chai, Chineke, cover us o." As the seriousness enter their body, everybody just dey look. For this life, blood for person house na bad omen.

The caller, Obinna Nwafor, talk say the woman na him wife, Ifeoma.

Obinna face squeeze, voice tremble like person wey swallow hot pepper, as he point the way for police, like say na dream him still dey.

Sad enough, the police confirm right there say Ifeoma don die since—her body already stiff.

One of the junior officers whisper, "Oga, na rigor mortis be this." The others just nod, dey look Ifeoma lifeless face. For small town like Okposi, death wey waka enter house like thief dey shock everybody.

As dem realize say na murder, the case big pass local station, so state CID homicide team rush come take over.

You know as Naija police dey do—once wahala pass their power, dem go call headquarters. Before afternoon, yellow police tape full everywhere, CID motor park for outside like say governor wan visit.

The team captain, Inspector Musa Danladi, don dey do criminal investigation frontline for over ten years.

Inspector Musa na correct Hausa man from Bauchi, tall, no-nonsense. Him don see wahala for Jos, Kaduna, even Yenagoa before dem transfer am reach Ebonyi. For station, dem dey call am "Musa the Tracker."

As he enter crime scene, something just dey off for him mind.

The air for the house too calm, too arranged, like say even the ghost dey wait to yarn am story. Inspector Musa adjust him cap, eyes sharp like torchlight for NEPA blackout.

The whole room scatter as if na normal burglary, but something still dey off.

He notice say everywhere scatter but e still get as e be. Na wetin dem dey call "too much arrangement inside confusion." Inspector Musa nor dey trust eyes wey dey deceive.

The floor too clean.

He squat down, run finger for tiles. E clean well-well, like person just finish to mop. Even the best thief for this side, only God fit make am clean floor after evil.

How come, after stealing and killing, thief still get time clean floor before he run?

He shake head, tell him boys, "Abeg, shine una eyes o. Na real wahala be this." For Naija, thief dey run after stealing; who get time to clean house after evil?

Normally, if thief break in, meet person for house and things turn wahala, fear go catch am. First thing na to run as e fit.

"You go see thief run barefoot, forget even him slippers," one constable add, try lighten the mood. But everybody know say Inspector Musa mind no dey for joke that morning.

Na that time, the pathologist waka come meet Inspector Musa.

The pathologist na Igbo woman, Dr. Ngozi Okoro. Her gele still dey tied under lab coat, small gold cross for neck. Her face no dey show emotion, but her words sharp, as she dey talk for police matter. Powder-white coat and red lipstick stand out among all the uniforms.

From the way the body stiff, Ifeoma don die since midnight the night before.

She talk am clearly: "She don dey dead since midnight, at least six, seven hours." Musa nod, scribble for him small brown jotter.

She die from strangulation. Before then, person knock back of her head with blunt object.

The pathologist use biro demonstrate the wound. She point am for Musa and the other officers, make dem see the bruise for Ifeoma head.

Her Aba-made lace nightgown tear, like say dem try rough handle her, but medical check show congestion only, no real assault before or after death.

Inspector Musa breathe out small. For Naija, this kind case fit scatter family, bring shame and extra wahala. He thank God say at least that side no dey.

Valuables like gold earrings, gold ring, and necklace still dey for her body—nobody touch am.

He tell him team, "See, thief wey leave gold for ear and neck? Abeg, make we dey wise."

If person come for money, why e leave all those things?

Even small boys for street sabi say gold na quick money. Musa dey wonder if killer get another reason for the evil.

Another strange thing: no sign say person force door or window open, or climb wall. E be like person just waka enter, no wahala.

Inspector Musa run finger round door lock, call one of him men, "Chijioke, check windows, check everywhere. No scratch, no break. This person na ghost abi?"

Plus, decoder for Ifeoma bedroom still dey paused, playing 'Sons of the Caliphate.'

One young officer, wey dey like Nollywood, whisper, "Na that time she dey watch film. See as life be." The decoder's blinking light just dey mark the moment the house turn graveyard.

Inspector Musa start to piece the matter together.

He stand, arms folded, dey look round the room. The picture dey form for him mind, like old Naija film for VHS.

Around midnight, Ifeoma dey bed dey watch TV when person knock door.

Clock for wall stop for 12:10. Musa imagine how Ifeoma small feet touch cold floor, how she answer door that kind hour.

She open door, turn to go back inside. Person hit her from behind, knock her out, try do bad thing.

Musa trace the steps softly for floor, palm act like e dey block invisible blow. He imagine sudden attack, fear, confusion.

During the wahala, Ifeoma wake up. Panic enter, attacker strangled her, then hide body for wardrobe.

He look wardrobe, shake head. "Na only person wey know her fit do this kain thing, hide body for here."

After killing her, the person search house, clean floor, then waka comot quietly...

Inspector Musa hiss quietly. "Person get cold heart, finish evil, come dey clean like say na cleaner dem send."

That na the story wey evidence for scene dey talk.

But Musa know say evidence fit lie. He dey wait for that small mistake wey killer go make.

But if na real robbery, too many things no add up.

He run the questions for mind again, dey find missing link. This kain case get k-leg.

Why Ifeoma go open door for killer for middle of night?

He talk am out loud: "No woman for this side go open door for stranger at night, unless..."

Did she know the person?

He look Ifeoma photo for wall, as if answer go drop from her smile.

If killer want money, why come at night when people dey house? No be better to come during day when everybody don waka?

He ask him team, "Who dey break house for night, wey neighbors fit catch, when dem fit do am for day?"

Why person go kill first, then search for valuables, even clean up?

"Na only person wey wan cover him track go dey clean blood for crime scene," Musa mutter, Hausa accent thick.

All these strange points show say no be just stealing gone wrong.

He write for jotter: "No be ordinary thief. Na person wey sabi wetin him dey do."