The Ransom Dealers

A Day with Father

ASP Sani parked his Honda Accord in front of the old house at Na’ibawa. As he got out of the car, he could see the sitting room curtains pull open slightly, then close again. Sani was born and had grown up in this house.

“Assalam Alaikum”, he said before pushing the small entrance gate. He met his father on his way out to meet him.

“Wa Alaikum Assalam” his father replied. “How are you and your work?” he asked his son.

“Alhamdulillah, my work is fine Baba. How are you feeling?” Sani asked, as they walked back into the sitting room together.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m much better” his father answered in that tone that meant, “Not so good, really.”

His father was a solidly built, strong and resilient man. Sani could never remember him showing pain, not even the time he broke his forefinger against the house gate some seven years ago or so. Neither did he show pain after his prostate surgery a year ago. Indeed, the man seemed oblivious to pain, except when Sani’s mother had died a couple of years back. That was the only time Sani had ever seen his father cry.

They were very much alike, father and son. Both were tall and lean, with the same long nose and fair complexion peculiar to Fulanis. In point of fact, Sani’s uncle never ceased to remind him that he was the spitting image of his father.

“What did the Doctor say during your last visit?” Sani asked.

“He said he wants me to go back in for more of those tests. I think they want to operate again,” his father answered.

Sani could see the disappointment in his father’s eyes, he could also see the fear. Fear was another thing he had never seen in his father’s eyes until now.

“In sha Allah it will be okay. Plus it will make you feel better. I think you should just do it once and for all,” Sani advised.

Alhaji shook his head. “No way! Ba zan yarda ba! No way will I go through that again. I’ll manage the pain for the rest of my life. After all, how many more years do I have left?. They’re not going to cut me again gaskiya.”

Sani knew better than to argue with him. He knew his father well enough to know that No-Meant-No with him.

“What’s new in the office? Did you catch any more bad guys?” his father asked to change the subject.

“Oh, not much,” Sani answered.

“But you’re arresting and putting them in jail, right?” his father asked.

“Yes, we got one last week trying to collect the ransom paid out. Wallahi Baba the guy was twenty years old. Sometimes I wonder how kids like that derail and go into crime. Anyway, he was lucky no one shot him, because he surrendered when he realized he had been cornered”, said Sani.

"Was he also part of a kidnapping gang or was he just assigned to collect the ransom?", His father asked.

"He was an uncle to the boy that was kidnapped and he even stayed in the same house. Can you believe his sister, the child's mother, pays his school fees?" Sani explained, with a question.

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji'un!", His father exclaimed. "What is the world coming to?", he asked in wonderment, shaking his head.

"That is what we are battling with everyday in our society. Youths have become so dead in conscience that they can do anything… and I mean that literarily Baba, wallahi they are not afraid to do anything as long as the money is there", Sani told his father.

"How much ransom was involved?", His father asked.

"Ten million naira", Sani answered. "And this guy is even the oldest among the group that was arrested. The other two were all eighteen".

"SubhanAllah!. May Allah protect us and our children", his father prayed.

"Ameen", replied Sani.

“But do they give you a raise for the successes you record?” the old man asked with a smile.

“No Baba,” Sani laughed. “It’s all part of the job.”

“But you help them uncover a lot of ransom money, son. You should tell them you want a percentage. Do you know you have intercepted almost nine hundred million in the past six months? Plus it's a very very dangerous job”

"Kai Baba! How did you arrive at that figure?", Sani asked incredulously.

His father smiled sheepishly. "It's not an accurate figure, but it's a close approximation. I have always kept tabs on all your cases and the ransom intercepted. It gives me something to do, and sometimes makes me even feel like a detective".

"Wow Dad… That is incredible! Wallahi I never thought to keep a record of all of that, but I'm sure they have it in the office", said Sani.

"That's what I'm telling you… imagine you get a small token, even 5%. That's a whooping forty five million naira! And I'm sure the AIG will agree, don't you think so?"

“Can’t do that, Dad. I get a straight salary and it's good. It’s my job to catch these kidnappers and rescue their victims,” Sani explained.

“You should get a percentage,” the old man insisted.

"That's not how we work Baba… We are the police, and our mandate is to protect the citizen's life and property", said Sani.

“It is dangerous work. Someone could try to kill you to avoid being caught,” he said.

“No, it’s not like that, Dad. These people aren’t usually very dangerous. They may be smart, but not dangerous. They are scared of getting caught, and when that happens they just give up. My life has never been in danger.”

The old man just shook his head. His son had always been a sensitive, gentle boy. He never accepted the fact that people could really hurt one another. He was too trusting and too naive for his own good. It was the police work that had finally opened his eyes to how cruel a human being can really get in order to hurt someone else.

“Well, you just be careful, anyway. You can never tell how people will react to being caught. I believe that anyone can be dangerous when they’re scared,” his father said.

“Okay Baba, I promise I’ll be careful. But don’t worry. I can handle it,” Sani assured him.

“How about you getting married? Do you still think of it?" the old man asked.

“I am fine Dad. Truly, I haven't given it much thought for a long time. But maybe soon I'll start dating again", Sani said.

His father could see a sadness in his son’s eyes. Sani and Samira had been separated for over a year now, and he had never gotten over what she did to him.

The pain of what had happened was inside him again. It started moving from his heart to his stomach, making him grimace in discomfort. It always came back when he thought about it and what Samira had done to him, about what had caused it, and what it had cost him. It tore at him like a ferocious animal unleashing it's claws in his intestines.

The relationship had deteriorated steadily in the last stages. But Sani had never thought that it had gone that far, until he had caught them together. It had crushed him. His sweet love, his betrothed, his amarya… Samira. Humping another guy, his best friend for that matter. She had hurt his pride irreparably.

It was over after that; the end of two relationships. Talk about killing two birds, he thought cynically. He was glad it was over, despite all the begging and apologies from Samira and her friends.

Sani never spoke to Bash again. The betrayal had been too thorough. Samira of course would never speak to anyone of it. It was a secret buried in their hearts forever.

Her parents and his did not know what happened, couldn't know what happened. In fact, he did not tell anyone his reason for cancelling the wedding. The way he saw it, everyone was on a need to know basis… and they didn't need to know.

Sani’s father studied the expression on his face and knew that the time had come to change the subject once again.