The Street Boy Part 4: SARS

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The Street Boy Part 2: In My Uncle's House
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Read The Street Boy Part 3: Oga Bullet

Oga Bullet is a shameless thief. I used to look up to him before as my father and mother. Under his care, I had risen as the second in command after the previous one died in a car accident. Now, I am the chief organizer of any operation. His own is to sit there and command us.

That is not even my problem.  But the one wey pain me pass is Oga Bullet will chop all the money in our operation and give us small change. Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop. The guys and I are not happy. We have tried a few times to complain but he has refused to listen. As far as he is concerned, he brought us when we were nothing. We should be grateful to him if we know what is good for us. So we learned to shut our mouths and endure.

Until one fateful day we went for an operation. This time, Oga Bullet went with us. One of the guys told us that his contact from a huge company in town informed him they were expecting some goods worth millions one evening. The plan was simple. Ambush the van on the road, take the goods, sell them in the black market and share the money.

Tega, one of the gangs, parked a broken car along the highway and pretended the fix it. His job actually was to watch out for the van and call us immediately he sights it. The rest of us hid among the bushes, waiting and daydreaming about our share. We waited a long time. Many vehicles passed. No call from Tega, meaning no show. Just when we were about to angrily give up, Oga Bullet’s phone rang.

Them don show.” Tega’s voice said on the other end.

Oga Bullet ended the call.

Oya, show don start.” He announced quietly to us.

We cocked our guns, waiting. We could hear the engine of a van approaching. As soon as it came near us, we jumped out in front of it.

“Come down! Come down!” We ordered, pointing the gun at the van.

The van immediately stopped. The driver and his partner came out, trembling in fear, hands raised.

“Please, don’t kill us.” They begged.

We didn’t kill them. We were only interested in the van. And since they didn’t resist us, we let them go. But first, we stripped them naked, took their clothes and ordered them to lie on the road face down. Then we entered the van and drove off.

We didn’t go back to town where we would be suspected. Instead, we drove to another town to pack the goods in another place as we had planned. Oga Bullet drove while Tega sat beside him. The rest of us hid at the back with the goods.

We expected SARS checkpoints on the way and had already decided how to handle it. No be the normal SARS again? In fact, we had already made ourselves friendly with them during our planning stage and rogered them so it would be easy for us to pass.

But the SARS we saw now weren’t the ones we saw the other time. A SARS officer flagged us down. Oga Bullet obediently stopped in front of him and rolled down the glass. The other officers continued their patrol, ignoring us.

“Officer, good afternoon.” He greeted, smiling.

The officer didn’t smile back. “Driver’s license.”

Oga Bullet brought out his license. The officer looked at it.

Wetin you dey carry for back?” He asked.

“Fridge.” Oga Bullet answered.

You get the reciept?”

“Yes sir.” Oga Bullet answered. Thank God we took everything from that driver including the receipts. I prayed. Oga Bullet brought them out and showed the officer. The officer read them. He nodded in satisfaction. Oga Bullet smiled, relieved.

“Open the back.” The officer ordered quietly.

Oga Bullet hesitated for a moment. Then he gave him a cool smile.

“Officer,” He said in wooing voice. “Why you dey do like this? You don see say the receipt dey legit.”

“Eh, I don see am. I wan check the back first.” The officer replied with his stone face.

But e no dey necessary na. Time no dey.” Oga Bullet brought out some money. “Oya, take this for pure water.”

The officer looked at him and the money. His face changed to anger. “Come, you think say na play we dey play here?”

“No o. You want more? I can–”

“My friend, will you go and open the back!” Oga SARS ordered angrily.

Ghen ghen! We immediately hid our guns as Oga Bullet came around the back door and opened it.

Part 5 will come out on Monday. Please drop your comments, like and share.

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