I QUIT CHELSEA (CONCLUDING PART).

I must have misheard ‘bodies’ for ‘babies’ as a part of the station seemed to have been converted into a Nursery.
What’s happening here?
One of the officers who took my statement the previous day sighted me and beckoned me over. My wife followed closely like my shadow. The officer said a baby factory was discovered two towns away and the perpetrators had been brought in for interrogation. He gestured at three women in the midst of seven and the  half babies as one of the trio was heavily pregnant. We were told to check if our missing son is one of them. Hurriedly my wife did a thorough scrutiny, especially on the ones strapped on  the women’s back. She broke down in tears not finding Mourinho amongst them.
The officer consoled and assured they would comb every area in their reach in rigorous search. He demanded I come back in few hours time with our son’s most recent picture. Clinging my wife to my side in support, I led her away. We hadn’t gone far when she broke away from me all of a sudden, launched like a fierce lioness at a woman being led in by another police officer. Fast and furious, she tore from the woman the baby she was carrying. To my surprise, it was our Mourinho.
Hmmn! God has a way of orchestrating our seemingly helpless situation to an end beyond our imagination. What if my wife had not insisted on coming along? With my weary eyes that saw every toddlers around as though they were our son, I doubted I could have sighted our own Mourinho out of the many others, which would have meant a stretch of the search as well as our pain.
That moment, I was the happiest man on the globe. The ache that coursed through my body as a result of the stress I had suffered ceased at once. We headed back into the reception as instructed by the officer to clarify the matter.
The other officer at the counter we had met earlier apologized for the omission. He said the woman was brought in along with the others. In the course of the interrogation, it was gathered that she had purchased the baby (Mourinho) from a gang of kidnappers in the neighborhood. So she was escorted to the hideout of the gang to bring them in. I noticed a simple, well dressed man in spectacle, flanked on one side of the woman.  I think I had seen his face before but couldn’t place for certain where. I doubted he was one of those who watched the match at my house.
The man looked so peaceful he could pass for an angel with a halo hovering over his head.
Hardly would one think he is a member of the gang. Well, Satan himself  masquerades as angel of light. I couldn’t wait to hear the role he played in the saga.
We were taken to the District Police Officer's (DPO) office to further shed light on the matter.
DPO: Corporal
Officer: Yes Sir!
The officer saluted with a stamp of his feet.
DPO: I thought the woman revealed her partners in crime are two. What of the other one?
Officer: He's at large Sir.
DPO: And what do you mean by that?
Officer: It seemed someone had tipped him off. We were close by, so he couldn’t have escaped through the entrance door to his apartment, which we met unsecured. From the look of things, he had made away through the backside of the house as we met its window wide open.
DPO: Alright. I believe we are making headway. His accomplice should know his whereabouts.
Kidnapper: No Sir, I don’t.
DPO: Mr. Man, you had better come clean and save yourself unnecessary manhandling and torture.
Kidnapper: I swear on my life I don’t know his whereabouts. I conceded to the operation after lots of lures and threats. It was my first time of working with them.
DPO: Them?
Kidnapper: Yes, them. We were carrying out the orders of a kingpin in the neighborhood named ‘Don slick'.
DPO: So what role did you play in the abduction.
Kidnapper: I was positioned at the entrance to this man's house (he gestured at me) as planned. While Don Slick and S.O were inside monitoring activities. When the…
“And who is S.O?” the DPO cut in.
“That’s the guy who escaped arrest.”
“And what does S.O mean?”
“Smooth Operator Sir.”
“Smooth O-pe-ra-tor,” the DPO tested the nickname and chuckled, “alright, continue.”
Kidnapper: While all eyes were raptly glued to the football match, S.O slipped into the baby’s room, placed him in a travelling bag. And when he was sure all coast were clear, he passed the consignment to me. A bike-man was already on standby. Straight-off, I hopped on his bike. He took me to an uncompleted building where this woman(he pointed to the lady kidnapper) was skulking. She paid me off on safe delivery.
DPO: How much were you paid?
Kidnappers: ₦150,000 Sir.
DPO: How did you manage to handle the baby from the house to the exchange point? Didn’t he cry at all?
Kidnapper: Well Sir, as fate would have it, the baby was fast asleep when S.O got to him. Notwithstanding, he  administered to him few drops of Phenergan syrup orally, to ensure there was no hitch from his side.”
At that point, my wife who had been vibrating in rising degrees, gave out a loud wail. Considering the abuses and dangers our child had been through, she was really strong to had kept her cool till then.
Those words came at me like many strokes. I had never been more whipped all my life. Picturing the man's statements could run one crazy.
DPO:  Take it easy madam. Let’s thank God you have your baby back. Being the mother, if I had envisioned the interrogation could get this traumatic, I wouldn’t have let you in here. Please madam, go and wait at the reception.”
My wife was foaming with anger and sorrow as she dragged out of the office.
DPO: Mr. kekere-Ekun, it was reported that you let your house opened to strangers to watch football match, I hope you have learnt your lessons? Anyway, there are still more saddening realization to be drawn from this interrogation, so I implore you to brace up yourself. Woman, where were you taking the baby to?
Woman kidnapper: I was taking the boy to a baby factory to resell.
DPO: For how much?
Woman kidnapper: ₦170,000 Sir. At times ₦200,000 and more, depending on how rich the buyer is.
I was glad my wife was out of earshot. I wonder how she would have felt while the woman talked of buying and selling Mourinho as though he were a commodity.
DPO: How were you intercepted by the police force?
Woman kidnapper: I had boarded a bus to Igbo- Elerin; a settlement about two towns from here, from where I was to take a bike to the baby factory. I have made it halfway through the journey when the baby firmly strapped to my back awoke and raised a long stretch of cry. I tried all I could to quieten him, it was to no avail. His incessant wails drew embarrassing attention at us. Soon, passengers started calling from different corners ‘mama baby, breastfeed your child'. I couldn’t possibly do that. This raised suspicions. Then I knew doom was looming over me. Confused and not knowing what to do, I agitatedly requested to alight from the bus. And that was the move that totally exposed my hands. ‘Woman, first breastfeed your baby,’ an elderly man raised the motion. Before I knew it, everyone seconded, the driver inclusive. This dragged on till we got to the garage. But for the baby, I would have been lynched by the mob before policemen came to my rescue.
DPO: Mr.Kerere- Ekun. You should thank God your son's cry saved the day. The police officers of that area radioed our station yesternight, after they discovered in the course of her confession that the kidnap was done at our end. They arrested those at the baby factory along side and brought them in this morning, handing over the case to us. We should get to the bottom of this issue soon. Corporal….
Officer: Yes Sir.
DPO: Take two other policemen with you and go arrest Don slick. Make sure he doesn’t escape.
Officer: Yes Sir.
Don Slick, Who could that be? I couldn’t wait to see a face put to the nickname. My wife was also interested in seeing the case to end, she was bent on ensuring no one evaded justice. So we both went with the arrest team.
The route the police’s patrol vehicle took us through as directed by the kidnapper was familiar as it led to my street. I was shocked when we finally halted in front of the next building to my house. Never expected the abode of the wanted gang leader would be that close to home. Who could it be? I scanned through the residents in my mind as the kidnapper led the way. Of the four apartments within the compound, I was surprised when he stopped at the entrance to Baba Risi's.
Can that clumsy Baba Risi be Don Slick?
With confidence the man banged the door.
Baba Risi's wife opened and was alarmed at the sort of visitors that called: myself, missing Mourinho in his mother's arm, 3 stone face policemen; 2 of which were armed with guns, a woman and a man coupled wrist-to-wrist with  handcuffs.
“Good afternoon madam,” greeted the officer in charge.
“Goo--goo—good af--after—noon.” The words turned out of her mouth as though she was just learning to talk.
‘Uhmmn, poor woman,’ I thought in pity for her.
“We are asking after Don Slick. Is he home?”
“Never heard of that name before. You must have the wrong address,” said Baba Risi's wife. She seemed to have found her voice.
“Maa-ma quit the pretense and tell us where your husband is,” spoke up the kidnapper, looking infuriated.
“My husband? What has he got to do with all these?”
“Well, he was alleged to have kidnapped a baby boy along with his gang,” said the Officer.
“That’s never possible. My husband is no kidnapper, there must be a mixed-up somewhere. By the way, Mourinho is more like our grandson, his favourite kid in the neighborhood. How could he ever do such a thing to the boy? Iya Mourinho, baba Mourinho please say something, plssss.”
At that point, I didn’t know what to say. The man in question was peace-loving, easygoing and friendly. This elderly couple were the closest of neighbors around. I saw them more like my parents, and they also acted like I was their own. It was hard to believe Baba Risi was part of the kidnap.
“Maa-ma, enough of this ranting like a wandering witch. Isn't it obvious we have come to our wits' end, tell us where the Don is and let’s get this whole shit done with,” said the kidnapper in stronger tone than before.
“Enough! Madam, do you know this man?” asked the officer, pointing at the kidnapper.
“No, I don’t.”
“What! You don’t know me?” roared the man in anger, removed his eyeglasses in case the woman was just finding it difficult to pick out his face.
“ Officer, this woman was part of the scheme all along?”
“What scheme? Iya Mourinho was I not with you a good part of yesterday at the factory?”
“Yes you were,” my wife replied softly.
I could also attest to that. Baba Risi’s wife was the one who introduced my wife to the textile business. And they were both at the factory sorting their goods at the time of the incidence.
“Don’t be deceived Madam,” said the kidnapper, “it was all part of the plot for this woman to be with you during the kidnap, to monitor your movement and keep us informed, so you don’t barge in on us unawares. While Don Slick was never to leave the side of the baby's father during and after the operation. So both parents could  serve as alibis, should the case be reported at the police station for investigation.
At that point, the woman’s mouth fell open as she stood motionless. Then it became clear the kidnapper was right about her.
Oh my gosh! Such well-laid plans just to kidnapped Mourinho. Who amongst men can be trusted?
“Woman, you are under arrest. Where is your husband?” said the officer as he locked her hands in handcuffs.
“He is at the hospital ooo. Ahhh! Ba-ba Ri-si has at last rubbed his ill-fate on me,” she wailed.
Baba Risi’s wife gave  directions to the hospital.
On getting to the ward where Baba Risi, alias Don Slick was admitted, we met him eating Amala and Ewedu soup (yam flour and Jute leaves). On sighting us, his mouth let down a big morsel of Amala. And that was the last I saw as I also collapsed straight away.
I was revived and placed on bedrest. The doctor said I fainted due to accumulated stress.
My wife later gave me the lowdown of what happened after I passed out. Baba Risi was taken in and used to nab his runaway accomplice, Smooth Operator. The five are in police custody.
My passion for football almost ruined me. Right there and then on the hospital bed, I turned my back on Chelsea. I still watch football. But overtime, I have been able too break its hold on me. So I no longer follow obsessively.

††††††††††††††††††††
*Food for thought*
*Your home is your safest haven, be careful of those you let in. For when your guards are down, you are as helpless as it comes.
*A stranger remains a stranger no matter how close he or she had gotten over time. Give your trust to no stranger, remain security conscious.
                                 THE END.
             OlagokeAjanaku                        
                           ©2017