The shocking news flashed across the television screen and the five people in the meeting room had seen enough of it. "250 Girls abducted by notorious terrorist AbdulQuyum in Kano". The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sylvester Nwachukwu, was the first to speak.
" This is a huge disaster to the nation"
"AbdulQuyum must be stopped!!" yelled Mrs. Florence Aderenle, Minister of Information.
"Of course, he has to but my question is how 250 girls were abducted in broad daylight right under the Defence Team nose" asked Daniel Amman, the Chief of Staff, a light skinned man with a bony face and a rather big nose.
The I.G shot Daniel a venomous look with his very big eyes and tucked at his collar nervously. He was a short man with bald head and a stout body. Sylvester and Daniel were never in good terms mainly because the former thinks the latter was doing everything in his might to be the awesome guy in the President's eye.
"They were all stationed at their posts, I don't know what you mean by under our nose" The I.G said, gruffingly.
"Oh you don't?! Well, I remember vividly that the President just ordered 500 members of the Defence Team to Kano to maintain law and order there and this is what we get?! 250 girls kidnapped?!" Daniel retorted.
"Don't allot blames here, Daniel" Ahmadu Hassan, Chief of Army Staff, bellowed,"We all tried our best to restore peace but we can never be at everywhere, we are not God" Ahmadu Hassan was in his mid sixties with a very lean body and a good reputation in the Army. Today, he looked disturbed and his always-smiling face had no smiles at all.
"Right now, Nigeria is the number one on the list of the most loathed countries in the world all because we had people who won't do their jobs" The Minister of Information, Mrs.Aderenle, peering intently at the others over the rim of her rectangular shaped glasses. She was a very black woman with six tribal marks and a reputation for annoyance.
"And who would those be?" The I.G asked, eyeing her bitterly," I guess your son would be happy to take the job of carrying guns and fighting merciless terrorists who wouldn't think twice to kill"
Mrs.Aderenle opened her mouth to say something nasty but closed it back and instead glared at the I.G like a voracious animal ready to pounce on its prey.
"Mrs.Aderenle has a point, Mr.I.G, your men don't know what they are up against. That is why they had no sense of shame to have raided a village in a place they are to restore peace, catering away with properties that weren't theirs!" Daniel said.
Mrs.Aderenle nodded.
"It was few of them, Daniel and some have been caught and I don't know how that has to do with AbdulQuyum. For Allah's sake, we're talking abou a bloody terrorist and assassin" Ahmadu spoke.
"He is fighting against a whole country. Look at that, just one man!!" Said Daniel.
"I think it's high time you joined the Army, Daniel, then you know how it feels" The I.G said furiously.
"Hem, Hem" A voice cut in. The only man in the room who had not spoken.
He was Faruq Aderinto, the Vice President. A tall handsome man with a round, babylike face and short dark coily hair. He sat on his usual chair , listening attentively to the arguments, his two index fingers placed together under his chin. At six'o clock in the morning, he still looked placid, no trace of a rough night etched on his face.
"I guess we all know that allotting blames on each other won't solve the problem on ground" He clicked his tongue noisily and leaned forward," If AbdulQuyum has to be stopped and those girls found, then I'd better say this argument should cease. Arguments won't stop him, would it?"
No one spoke. They all respected Faruq, a man who spoke with clear wisdom.
"In few hours time, the President's plane will touch down in the country and by then, he expects a laid-down plan, not bickerings among his men" He said and stroked his chin.
"Mr Vice President, It's better for the ones at fault to know that they are" Mrs.Aderenle said, fuming but barely showing it.
The I.G rolled his eyes and Ahmadu just glared at her.
"No particular person or persons is at fault here, Mrs.Aderenle. We all are, that is what the country sees. We have failed to protect our people. We have failed the country" Faruq said,"Now, now, this is just an impromptu meeting, I want you all to know that as soon as the President arrives, we are to converge at the Villa and there, we will have a proper meeting. But before we leave, Mr. I.G and Mr. Ahmadu, I'd like to know where your men were at the time of this abduction" He leaned backward on his chair, his face expressionless.
" As I said earlier, their posts and those posts of theirs are a bit far from the school. I guess this is what AbdulQuyum's men had seen that was why they had targeted the school" Ahmadu said.
"It was a total shock, Mr.V.P. We all thought AbdulQuyum aimed for Christians, not poor innocent school girls" said the I.G.
Faruq quickly spoke before Daniel could, "And I bet we've all seen that this terrorist is not with a certain motive. From now on, schools, mosques, buildings and all should be protected too. Mrs.Aderenle, what does the World have to say about this?"
She cleared her throat and began," The World seeks for justice and it wants the girls to be found. From all over the World,especially Women, have risen up against this senseless crime. It yearns for the girls' release"
"Thank you and Daniel, anything for us?"
"The Prime Minister of England calls for a meeting with the President. He has shown the Country's readiness to help us in finding the girls"
"Very good, then I guess this meeting is over. As soon as the President arrives, we are to relay this back to him" Faruq said and stood up,"A good day to you"
As soon as he left, the four faced one another again and continued the argument, a worthless, unnecessary one, whereas 250 girls had their fates in the hands of gruesome men in a land, faraway and unknown.
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