AND THE HUSBAND WAS A NOTORIOUS ARMED ROBBER: TRUE STORY OF A COUPLE

[Photo credit, Google]

Ijebu North-East LGA, Ogun –Southwest, Nigeria.

The lifeless body of a man known as Mr Smart, a notorious armed robber in his days, was whisked away during mop-up exercise by detectives attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad [SARS].

The emerging report from theatre of war where security men had engaged Mr Smart along his gang men (in what was described as fire-for-fire encounter) suggested that men from the special anti-robbery squad, a subsection of criminal investigation department (Nigeria Police Force) trained for combat operations, had acted promptly on intelligence received. And moved swiftly to halt what could have otherwise been a major robbery event should it had gone ahead to be a successful outing for Mr Smart, who appeared to be in his late 30s, and his men.

The sophistication of weaponry recovered from the hiding den where the armed gang had gathered to cement the procedural plan for the scheduled crime, preshow a mission designed to inflict heavy damage on lives and properties.

"News travels fast, Bad news travels faster"... I agree!

10'O clock in the morning. On that ill-fated day, I stepped outside my home onward the tarred road where Mr Smart's residence until his eventual death was situated. The building- where Mr Smart was a tenant- has no perimeter which means from a position opposite the multifamily dwelling house one could literally, standing by roadside, see through the residence if the front door is left open.

I couldn't help but notice people in batches and groups assembled dispersedly in the compound. The open space where mourners gathered to commiserate with wife of the deceased put the building few metres away from the tarred road.

The crowd immediately called my attention. And I began to pander. In my quest to make sense of the situation- my eyes caught a section of people wailing. Amidst the group was an individual who was completely devastated by the news, pitifully though. She cried and wept profusely.

 It was an atmosphere filled with sorrow.

Not binding to any appointment on the day; neither was I crippled by a tight schedule. I had all the time in the world. By the way I wasn't ready to leave the scene, anyways, without connecting the dots.

I maintained a close distance whilst I unleashed necessary organs. A CCTV camera could not have worked smarter than my eyes that morning.

Much tensed scenery I must say. The mood wasn't nice. I'd sympathise with them. But HEY! There was a mystery I had – within me –nursed over the years. “It must be unravelled” –I said!

"Could it be the moment I have waited for?" I asked myself. Well, it turned out to be!

After all- my curiosity, investigations were all along true.

Four years ago. I saw a grown man drove-in a 'BMW3 series'...Mr Smart. He had just arrived at his destination; parked by the roadside. He majestically stepped out; central locked the car. And onward- he walked into a multifamily dwelling house (popularly known as face-me-I-face-you).

Let's paint a scenario here:

He might have gone inside the building to pay a friend, associate or mistress a visit. Isn’t it?

That might not even be a car owned by him. It could be a borrowed car; assuming he was there to "check out" an old pal or newly met girlfriend.

So, there was nothing of major interest at the time. Life goes on.

Aa’aro lo’ja.  And as the saying goes... “Mind your own business”

By the way, we had only recently moved from city-centre into a permanent residence; situated in a rural settlement. Outskirt!

My Dad is not a Politician. He couldn't have fancied an edifice in the heart of the city. Else he'd go bankrupt.  Don’t feel sorry for him –He’s a civil servant who makes a honest living, a chief nursing officer (now retired, but known for his famous response to comments regarding his retirement. "I may have retired but I am certainly not tired"). Ha Ha Ha. As Bill Cosby would say “Old is always fifteen years from now”

Fast forward >>>

Couple months down the line it thus appeared later that I would live to see ‘forever’ a dark coloured BMW car drove-in-and-out the town. The car was indeed owned by Mr Smart. A cool calm collected individual with no record of violence known to either dwellers in the region (which includes me) or at very least his immediate neighbours.

‘For someone who resides in multifamily dwelling house’; in a rural location. Whose vehicle is not something out of the world?  He’d be assured of safeness. He'd feel 'invisible'...And –to a large extent –innocent to unsuspecting public!

To understand the geo-positioning of the area: The nearest city, coincidentally where we recently emigrated from, is about 15 minutes drive. So, we sometimes rely on retail-shops [scattered across the community] for groceries and other miscellaneous.

We cherish good food in my home. Who doesn’t? blah blah… Please hold, I’m getting somewhere. Lol

As regards ingredients and recipes; we’re crazy about anything newly-out from its natural source. Fresh veggies (tomatoes etc), bush meat, live fish… You can be assured of frequent supply of those in this kind of place.

We don’t believe in stockpiling neither do we subscribe to refrigerating and microwave’s kind of life.  We’re not rich! –oh yea, say what you want –I already mentioned that. :)

I often wonder what would become of my feeding; should ‘good fortune’ catapults me to an unfamiliar terrain where I would be compelled to replace my favourite comment around the kitchen; from “Everything fresh and hot” to “Everything refrigerated and microwave’d”... Well, I’d adjust one way or the other.

Accordingly; my daily activities, almost always, present the need to visit –within the community –a retail-shop to pick up stuff. I would then approach my favourite spots. Most times I drive, sometimes I walk.

Fulfilling a commonplace task one day; my journey to procure some groceries was cut short by a never-seen ‘container shop’ –newly erected and filled to capacity… So good, I didn’t have to go extra mile.

The retail-shop belonged to Madam, Mr Smart’s wife. It was positioned right in front of the multifamily dwelling house.

Few days later, I was at the shop to pick few things… Ofcourse at a cost; nothing is free even in Freetown lol.

Whilst at the shop; an attendant was readily available to heed customers –a lively school-age girl who seemed to love her time at the mini-store… It wasn’t immediately clear to me if she’s their biological child.

 Madam was silent. She must be distracted by something.

I looked at her direction and saw her struggled to operate an I pad… That was some three years ago. At the same time, a laptop and other gadgets surrounded her… ‘You could almost ask if she is an electronics engineer’

Apparently, the satellite dish attached to the main building must be serving their home –so I thought.

On that very day; one thing became clearer to me. That the couple in focus –Mr Smart’s –were comfortable, well-off and cosy… This gave birth to my curiosity.

Please note that the writer is not a nosy character neither an enemy of progress. There are many well-to-do families ‘resident’ in the area.

Something was just not right.

And if something smells fishy it probably is!

OBSERVATION, DISPOSITION AND DETECTION

Nobody chooses where s/he lives but their circumstances.

First off –I researched inward the inescapableness or conditions that best explained why people reside in a particular place or at a particular time. I used rural settlement as a case study

Work, proximity and punctuality

This is pretty easy to assimilate… In other not to incur unnecessary cost as regards commuting; people naturally relocate or move closer to their place of work.

Nature of occupation

Being a rural location, one would customarily expect an influx of farmers, hunters etc in the region. Many of them would end up inhabiting the community; supposedly area of interest.

Alternative cost

According to Merriam Webster; “the determination of cost and value by comparison with the best alternative product rather than by totalling factor inputs.”

My Dad falls in this category.

Middle class earners who wish to have permanent roofs over their head, more often than not, are limited to low density areas due to astronomical cost of land in the cities and other accompanying factors.

Indigenous and cultural lineage

This class of people are known for their ancestral connection to villages and communities. The rich among them would –from wide and near –return to build edifice believed to be ‘country home’ in the land of their forefathers.

You would also find that many of the indigenes –who are not so privileged –simply live and earn their livelihood in-and-around these villages, towns and communities.  “Wan re bi kan”

No/low income earners

Under this subheading –the writer is referring to persons or families who are incapacitated by limited resources (money) and as a result –they are restricted to places with affordable housing, cheap rent etc.

In the long run –those without jobs or livelihood end up with trades, small businesses (shops etc) in-and-around the community whilst the lazy or less productive ones languish in poverty.

Next –let’s do some analytical and intuitive thinking.

Back in the days; Mr Smart’s varied schedule, movement and mobility could only suggest two things (i) that either he was an entrepreneur; CEO. (ii) Or he simply never had a job/commitment.

Were there facts on ground to support the argument of him been a business owner or a once-upon-a-time CEO of a company? The answer is NO

Also, healthcare profession are famous for varied schedules. If by any chance he [Mr Smart] was a doctor, he’d be a native, herbalist or unorthodox practitioner.

Let’s proceed.

The questions below may appear stereotypical but please don’t attack me too early.

1.       1. Why have multiple gadgets (electronics) of similar forms, patterns and serving same purpose?

Gifts from family and friends (home or abroad)?  The couple’s financial might? ‘level of sophistication and exposure’ etc. These are possible answers.

On the other hand; it may not be out of place to assume the gadgets to be add-on items from various robbery missions.

If the argument is based on ‘poshness and financial power’; then the next question would be.

2.       2. Why live in a multifamily dwelling house situated in a rural settlement?

He was not a farmer or hunter neither did he appear to be a low income earner who couldn’t afford an accommodation in the city.

He was not an indigene of the community.  His ethnicity clearly disapproved such notion. He was a Nigerian of south-eastern descent.

It just doesn’t add up.

Could I have informed the local authorities my concerns and observations? No, I couldn’t have done that due to possible backlash which would ultimately put me in harm’s way.  It’s a common knowledge that evil-gangs are widely connected and mostly have sympathizers amongst local authorities, rank and file and largely in government.

My curiosity, observation and investigation continue.

At this stage, it was already official –my eyes were on them.

I would randomly stop by at Madam’s shop, deliberately so, to make petty orders. One day I decided to push my luck. I needed to see how Mr Smart’s wife would react to unrealistic price offer.

Without beating about the bush; she sold an item for half its price worth. The item was in good shape, yet to expire and had no issues. Who does that!

So, I figured the shop was a mere smokescreen. It wasn’t profit driven.

On that very day, two years ago, I reached a conclusion. I told my partner straight away my suspicion and so blatantly that Mr Smart ‘would possibly be an armed robber’.

Two years after I was vindicated.

In conclusion

If I was a police officer, a profession I so dearly cherish –what this means is that I could have stopped Mr Smart and his ilk from having field day. They might not have had additional two years to perpetrate their evil act.

I enjoy unravelling criminal conspiracy with analytical and intuitive thinking. I will write a new story soon.

My question is: What is the fate of persons like me who - in absence of permanent position - is willing to ‘volunteer’ to serve the Nigeria Police Force and by extension serve his fatherland?

N.B

Due to legal implications the true identity of this couple is undisclosed. The writer chose above pseudo name as he felt the story was about a man(criminal) who thought he was smart and out of reach.

In his hometown in south east, Nigeria; should he owned properties and lived extravagantly amidst his peers, they –I mean the locals –probably never realised he was a notorious armed robber until his eventual death.


 Boluwatife Adekunle