Meanwhile...
Gunfire reverberated all round in the dark. Bello hopped on the chair, straightening his back, he could feel the small tube holstered to his waist by the belt. The utility knife was somewhere underneath his clothing. It was hard to feel, that must have been why they couldn’t find or remove it from him. And he was with that slim silvery saviour all the time. If only he could reach it.
Bello gritted his teeth as the ropes bit on his wrist; he tried to sit straighter with a muffled grunt. His hand was closer to his belt now. He tentatively pressed his thumb and index finger in and could feel the tiny sheath. He hopped slightly, the knife stood even the more erect. His fingers slowly, cautiously clenched on it, he drew it out slowly.
After five precarious minutes in which his entire concentration was all zeroed on what he did such that the sparks across the distance and the thunderous sounds that assailed the air from every direction echoing across the mountain and the cavernous space held no cognizance to his ears.
He heard the soft fall of the sheath and began with the ropes that held his wrist. Just two fingers worked dexterously, cutting the band fibre by fibre.
The camp below was alive with flames, wails and rattling ammunitions.
Slowly, he kept cutting. Soon, he was half way through, he joined the third middle finger, a hasty attempt nicked his wrist so deep the sharp metal went, he then could feel the tickle of warm blood coursing down the to the tip of his finger. Yet, blood was lubrication. Bello kept on, despite the pain. The only picture on his mind was two tied hand gaining freedom.
He then heard the pants and heavy footsteps running up the hill, he could see Wizen’s silhouette zooming up the mountain side. His rifle was held ready in his hand as he looked back at the pandemonium, he turned sharply and Bello could imagine his bad eye glitter mischievously as he heard him curse loudly at the open air.
Bello cut from the daze and resumed his work, the succeeding cuts nevertheless. It was either laceration by himself or gunshot by Wizen.
Just few more fibres he kept telling himself, just as Wizen stepped tall through the entrance aiming his rifle at him. His chest rose and fell as he heaved laboriously, there was something around his waist, but Bello couldn’t tell what it was. The bond around his wrists finally snapped, and the slack loosened the rope around his legs. He would still need to cut through to be free and there was no time.
“You!” Wizen shouted, his gun still pointed at him.
“I can help you trust me, I’d do anything.” Bello spoke so fast and just as his brain clicked on what he should do, he sent the gleaming knife across the distance, through the air. Wizen’s reaction was slower, the knife pressed squarely just above his armpit and the gun fell. Wizen howled, clutching at his limp hand.
Bello had little time to congratulate his genius, the knife inched just above the armpit and deep enough, thanks to the loose clothing Wizen wore, and his hand went limp—a nerve must have been severed—Wizen was partially paralysed.
The throw, though, had tilted the chair off balance; and even Bello was in a precarious condition on the floor.
Wizen pulled at the knife and howled the more running madly towards Bello who struggled with the slackened rope. One of his legs was free.
Bello rolled away just before Wizen’s hand could reach him, his raised leg collided with his assailant’s jaw, Wizen howled. His left hand clumsily picked the rifle and sent the butt through the air, this time, Bello was slower as his quick movement and the darkness put him at a level of disadvantage. The butt landed on Bello’s temple, yet he threw his leg, Wizen caught it this time with just one hand and tried pulling Bello across the floor.
Bello grunted as he resisted the force, his bloody hand grappled the leg of the chair that laid just above him, he threw it at Wizen who staggered back colliding with the rocky wall and fell. Bello ran for the rifle but Wizen held his legs pulling so much for a left hand such that Bello fell on the floor again his hand outstretched as he reached for the rifle.
“You are not going any were! We die here together.” He muttered. Then above the rattles of ammunition and the booms of explosive around, Bello could hear the small beeps of a time bomb and knew what it meant.
He sent his shoeless feet to Wizen’s head and ran for the exit. The beeps sounded even more frequent, Bello jumped, the rocky floor seemingly was growing towards him. He heard the explosion in cave and caught glimpse of the blazing inferno before he landed. He could feel blood draining from where his head collided with a jutting rock. The guinea grass swayed across his view in the soft wind that blew like nothing of any importance was happening around. It became blurry, and then he heard the thumps of feet beside him before his sight went black.
*******
One of the lieutenant, walked up to the gathering group with a bleeding man on his shoulder. Raliat recognized Bello at first sight and felt the urge to shout the warning.
A few voices sounded before hers. The soldiers only laughed and assured them that there was nothing to worry about. The few surviving terrorist were precisely trussed and shove mercilessly into a truck with armed men all around them. She overhead some people muttering something about the soldiers burying the dead men in a mass grave. Honestly, Raliat couldn’t care less.
The kind soldier that had rescued her and her little child called her and the other women to enter a larger truck that would convey them to safety. They all followed with unison without complaint. But Raliat looked back, over here at the outskirts on the hill, she could see the golden flames releasing soot to the still night air, as the tents crumpling down under the weight of devouring heat. This must be the end of Marte camp and her life in it. She was free.
The baby yelped again, Juliet crooned him but he wouldn’t listen. Raliat was all silent, as tears rolled down her face at reminiscent of the life she’d lived for more than a year. She was free but with a scar time would never wipe away. A putrefying sore that would never heal. She was a mother in an enemy camp.
********
News report, NE news, 30 May, 2015.
NIGERIAN ARMY OVERUN FOUR BOKOHARAM CAMP NEAR THE SAMBISA FOREST.
The Nigerian army had finally hit on a major success as four Bokoharam camp in Borno state had been overrun with the space of two days, (28th and 29th may). The colossal success led to the freedom of about three hundred women and girls. Eleven of the abducted Chibok School girls had reportedly being rescued too.
The minister for defence confirmed this news few hours ago in an interview, adding that four hundred Bokoharam members had been killed in the invasion. He admitted that that the success was due to the crazy risk of concerned Nigerian. He declined information about this hero for security reasons but promised Nigerians that more success would be recorded in the future and that all that are still in captivity at the hinder part of the forest, Lake Chad and the Cameroonian borders would be recovered.
He admitted to the claim of some eyewitnesses about escaping Bokoharam members running across the boundaries, but with a smile he told our reporter that: “that’s a good sign. Who needs their trouble anyway. My men are still on the field, they’d certainly be hunted down and brought to justice.”
******
News report, NE news, 1 May, 2015.
THIRTEEN MORE BOKOHARAM CAMPS SET ABLAZE BY THE COALITION FORCES ACROSS THE CAMEROONIAN BORDER; 234 CAPTIVES SET FREE...
*******
News headlines from the Daily Hero...
October 13, 2016
BOKO HARAM RELEASES 21 OF THE ABDUCTED CHIBOK SCHOOLGIRLS
March 24, 2017
ARMY LAUNCHES ‘OPERATION LAST HOLD’ IN BORNO
May 6, 2017
BOKO HARAM RLEASES 82 OF CHIBOK SCHOOLGIRLS, SAY NIGERIAN OFFICIALS
April 1, 2017
BOKO HARAM LINCHPIN SURRENDERS
May 7, 2017
82 CHIBOK SCHOOL GIRLS RELEASED IN NIGERIA
******
News excerpt from the Daily Hero, March 3, 2018.
TWO SENTENCED IN NIGERIA OVER 2010 OCTOBER 1st EAGLE SQUARE BOMB BLAST
Harry Obi and Craig Okah were convicted by the federal High Court of Justice Abuja for financing and assisting in the perpetration the criminal act that led to the death of nine which included a prominent consultant, Dr. Goodwill Nnamdi... they were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Harry Obi was at that time the presumed kingpin of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), the same group that sponsored the bombing attack and several others in many region of the country...
Mrs Cynthia Nnamdi, the wife of the late consultant was there during the hearing, when interviewed said, “Despite the fact that the trials was so frustratingly slow. I’m glad that after more than seven years, the killers of my late husband finally get what they deserve.”
******
July 25, 2018
112 ABDUCTED CHIBOKGIRLS, STILL MISSSING...