Classified Information - Oil Crime and Usman Murder

A fictional representation of Leadership Crisis in Nigeria

When Siva got a cab and was inside, he was alarmed. Yes, he thought. The very first decision was a wrong one. Now, it is too late to go back. If there is answer, I am going to find it. But if not, only God knows what is going to happen.

The drive to Tajudeen was long and lonely. When they got there, he paid the driver and asked him to go. But Tajudeen itself was worse. It was an old hotel in one of the outskirts of Maiduguri. It either had bad patronage or it was completely deserted. There was no one around except a few pedestrians on their own on the street. The fence of the hotel had fallen partially. But a long, old reed chair, stood against the front wall of the building. The two big Almond trees in front of the building had dropped a lot of leaves on the chair and the compound. Everywhere was brown and crispy. Siva walked to the chair, pushed away some of the leaves and sat down. How was he going to contact Zugeru and tell him that he had come? He brought the flier out once again. Could all this just be a joke? Why would he take it this far? Was he really waiting for somebody? He could wait for the whole day and nobody would come. He would be in a rush to Rodia’s wedding,

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panting, where he would be the one needing care instead of being the one to give care to the bridegroom.

I would be better off if I leave here now, he thought. I am a hopeless fool to...

A voice calling his name from behind, shocked him. Siva turned and looked inside the house. His eyes widened with surprise. It was Chief Bode Odide himself. It got Siva wondering. Dr. Zugeru wanted to tell him something when he visited earlier. It was Bode who was shutting him off. So he had not expected to see Bode.

‘Follow me at once,’ Bode said sharply. Then he began walking back into the large lonely house.

Siva Okojie hesitated for a moment. Then he began to hurry after him.

‘We have to come here,’ Bode was muttering. ‘I am not sure, even these walls couldn’t talk.’

Tajudeen reception was huge, old, and shabby. The chairs and desks seemed older than those of the colonial masters. Two people were already seated. Siva recognized Dr. Zugeru. But the Doctor was not the same cheerful and friendly Zugeru. The second person was a woman, huge and beautiful, with Hijab over her head. The Chief took a seat after showing Siva one.

‘This is very dangerous,’ Chief Bode said.

‘I was not sure you were going to come. Why did you come?’ he began to blame Siva.

The alarm returned in Siva. ‘In your text messages, you said I should come, that you could tell me the truth.’

‘Yes. You were dangerously persistent. Well, this woman is my wife. All of us are in danger. If you...’

‘My husband said you are going to save us,’ the woman interrupted.

Siva was puzzled.

‘You don’t have to worry about that, Mr. Okojie,’ Bode said. ‘I don’t think you are wicked. You would definitely want to save a remorseful Bode and his family.’

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‘No way,’ Zugeru challenged. ‘Okojie must make a promise first.’

‘Yes,’ Bode’s wife supported. ‘Don’t tell him anything.’

‘What is happening here?’ Siva was confused.

‘Then, you must leave us,’ Bode said softly.

‘Yes Bode, I am going to leave you. But your decision will ultimately lead to our destruction. You are going to remember.’ She got up and left.
But Zugeru remained.

Siva watched Bode made a helpless gesture. ‘My wife is right. I am a member of  a  big organisation that has eyes and ears everywhere. You see this thing I am doing is going to expose those lovely people to danger. I have no choice now because you were very persistent. The only hope we have now is you.’

‘How am I going to do that?’ Siva asked. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘You will understand.’

Zugeru Odide frowned. ‘I don’t think you know what you are putting your hands into. This man is not going to help you.’

He got up. ‘Let us leave, Brother.’ But Siva did not know why he did not wait for his brother to decide before he too walked slowly away.

A cold shiver ran through Siva’s body.

When it was the two of them alone, Chief Bode said, ‘You said you wanted to know about Usman Omotola’s whole life, his friends, partners and death.’

‘Yes.’ One call entered his phone. Siva looked at the screen and ended it.

‘Who was that?’

‘He is a friend. He is wedding tomorrow and I am his Best Man.’

‘You have a lot in your hands.’

‘As I was saying, you said you know about Omotola.’

‘Yes. He was a businessman.’

‘I know.’
 
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‘Like us, he was also guilty of many scandals. And I know all the big players with him.’

Siva took a deep breath. ‘Who are they?’
‘He was also murdered. I know who, why and everything.’

At this point, Siva did not know what to ask first. ‘Who are the conspirators?’

‘My son, Okojie, you are innocent and simple-minded. Very innocent. It is true, the time is not like the old days of military dictatorship. Still, everywhere is full of dangerous eyes and ears. It is not about telling you. No, but it is going to violate your innocence. And nobody must know about this. That would not help any of us. And you are also in a hurry. I’ll suggest that you attend the wedding of your friend first. When you come back, we could talk.’

Siva was thoughtful for a moment. He was suddenly afraid. There was no way he would return to this man and would find things still the same. Bode was already struggling between two forces - his family and his guest. Only God knows for now why the former wasn’t stronger.

‘No, l am not in a hurry.’

‘I am very sure; I am going to take your time. You must decide.’

Siva watched the Chief flipping through the pages of a big book. A duct tape was over the title on the front cover. But it did not have a title page or a copyright page.

‘You are forcing me, Mr. Okojie. This is top secret.’ He gestured to Siva to get closer.

Siva looked closely as he turned the pages, slowly this time. Each page contained oil block allocations, formulas, results, subjects and beneficiaries.

‘This is the sum total of the oil wealth of this nation,’ Siva said, full of curiosity. The wealth looked truly vast.

‘Up to date, Nigeria has enormous blocks of oil, producing well over two million barrels of oil daily, where one barrel is one hundred and sixty four litres on the UK

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Barrel Converter. This is enough to sustain the petroleum needs of Europe, Africa and half of America,’ he pointed to various statistics and formulas as he turned the pages. ‘The daily revenue is upward of fifty billion naira. You know, we are number six in OPEC.’

‘I am aware.’

‘But our economy has grave problems, Okojie. Where is all the money? There is crisis; there is no money to run the nation. More than eighty percent of our population lives below poverty level. And virtue is very low as a result. As a matter of fact, our tomorrow is no more there. Our people are forced to look for yesterday. Do you think that Nigeria is too big as some claim? Texas alone is bigger than our country. That is only one state in the US.’

‘I don’t understand what you are saying or how this is going to be relevant to...’

Bode cut him short. ‘When our economy was good, naira was better than the dollar. At that time, two dollars was equal to one naira. And Nigerians were not needing any visa to travel to any other part of the world. But the brain drain came. And the naira devaluation followed. Today, one naira is zero point zero, zero, six dollars.’

Siva said patiently, ‘I could see the problem now. But...’

‘You have not seen the problem, Mr. Okojie.’

Siva looked at him.

‘You did not ask me what happened to the money.’

‘No.’ Siva was puzzled.

‘How then did you see the problem?’ The next words were loud whispers. ‘Have you heard about The Oil Arithmetic?’

Siva did not know what to say. He had heard about it twice. He remembered that he had also mentioned it to the Chief in his first visit which he denied knowing anything about. Probably, he had forgotten. So Siva too denied. ‘No.’
 
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‘Do not think that I am surprised. It is a very dangerous secret.’

‘You mean I shouldn’t ask what it is?’

‘I have no choice. No, it is too late. Believe me; this could cost me my life.’

‘Is The Oil Arithmetic some kind of formula used by oil merchants?’

‘On the contrary. But if you do not know what I am about to tell you, it would be better for you.’

A fresh sense of alarm rushed over Siva.
It was another eerie whisper from Bode Odide. ‘It is used to calculate the oil block sharing and revenue.’

‘I am aware of the sale of oil blocks.’

Bode shook his head. ‘You are not aware of anything. No such sales existed. It is rather free allocation of the blocks to members of our organisation. Sixteen of us are the pioneers and who are entitled to raw share of blocks. We have a few hundreds of other members. These latter members get their shares from us. And this is calculated by a simple proportion Arithmetic formula according to the age with the organisation. So, as owners of the oil blocks, we partner with oil companies who we call, the OPERATORS. You can see you did not know the problem. The oil administration is in our separate hands. That is why it is difficult to say what is actually extracted. These companies or operators are punishing us. They know that the nation wants a clear account. The operators are not transparent with us. They don’t meter the oil they pump. It is always estimated. If the oil administration is to be taken from our separate hands and organized into one, under the nation’s direct economy, the oil revenue that I mentioned earlier would go still higher. And under an uncorrupt management, where the operators would be forced to meter what they pump, we could expect double. This is the problem, Mr. Okojie. We have stolen the economy.’
 
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Siva did not want to believe this. ‘How does the nation generate its oil revenue for its treasury?’

Bode had a ready answer. ‘We release percentages of our total shares. But the percentages are determined by the size of the national annual budget. There may also be occasions when we are called upon to give up some funds. And we do comply. Everything is calculation, calculation and calculation. All this put together, forms The Oil Arithmetic.’

‘And you want me to believe this tale?’

‘No,’ Chief Bode said enigmatically. ‘It is unbelievable. Sometimes, when I think about it, I find it difficult to believe this is what we are doing to this nation. But have you ever wondered why budgeting is always delayed? What about budgeting without corresponding actions? Sometimes, we have conflicts.’

Siva was thoughtful. ‘Which organisation are you referring to here?’

‘I will tell you the name, but it is not time. It is not very popular. Yet, it is the most powerful organisation in this country. It rules the country by choosing the rulers as well as teleguiding them in their every policy.’

‘How does the organisation recruit its members?’

Bode nodded. ‘There is no formal admission. A person could only become a member if he becomes a bone tied to the neck of a dog, which the dog can neither crack nor abandon. It all began after the fourth coup with just nine of us. But as I said earlier, we are numbering a few hundreds now. And because we are insulated from the law, some of us take the liberty and go into various crimes, including illegal oil bunkering. We know that about four hundred thousand barrels of oil are being stolen every day. We know too that the Nation’s Joint Task Force is always patrolling the oil pipeline and the Navy, the sea borders. But does it not make you wonder how these barrels are loaded and taken away?’
 
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Siva was thoughtful again. ‘I still think this is incredible. But if…’

‘This is where the story becomes very bad. The NJTF is killing the ordinary citizens like flies for stealing ten litres or at most twenty litres of the product.  Tell me whether those are what amounted to the over four hundred thousand barrels stolen on a daily basis. Vessels pound freely through the high sea with stolen petroleum products. The fear cannot be avoided now. Something is going to happen.’

Siva said slowly, ‘And you think the ordinary citizens might revolt?’

Bode nodded. ‘Something worse. The Late Omotola did not make his observations known until he was approved as the organisation’s Crown Prince to our nation’s presidency throne. And when he did, he was condemned for it. His idea was tagged The Oil Revolution Theory. It is here with us now. For every new year, there is a new insurgence.’

‘Was  he killed for his Theory?’

‘No, our organisation does not have that reputation of killing its members. We only frustrate traitors.’

‘Was Late Chief Usman Omotola one of the pioneers or the latter members.’

‘One of the sixteen of us.’

‘Why was he killed?’

Bode said, ‘As I said earlier, he was next to rise to the presidency of the federation. His rival killed him, the person to rise after him.’

Siva asked, ‘Who and why?’

Bode said wryly. ‘It is not yet time to know who. But why? A few things happened confirming Usman “Revolution Theory” in quote, as coming to pass. And he was very much afraid. Sunsila Apo, the then CBN Governor spoilt the whole thing. Just at the threshold of the election, Sunsila released the executive expenditure of the nation, with each member of the Senate receiving a

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monthly due of nineteen million naira, a quarterly due of five hundred million naira constituency allocation, the Reps presently fighting for fifteen million monthly due, along with other dues. All this just for sitting only twice in a week in which sitting allowances are also collected. Sunsila went further to show the gap between those in the government and the ordinary citizens. He also touched on black holes here and there. I don’t want to talk about the vague question he left around the allocation of oil blocks. He concluded with a promise: he was going to shed light on what is going on around the oil blocks if there are no changes. Burning passion for a change, was sparked throughout the country, leading to a protest that lasted for more than one week.’

Siva said impatiently, ‘Did Sunsila later see the desired changes? He did not come back to shed the light.’

‘Yes, he saw a change. Things changed from bad to worse. And Sunsila was forced out of the position.’

‘Oh, down the drain!’ Siva interjected.

‘Four months later, the nation was hit by another protest. This one was violent. It was sparked by the Labour Union Government, just three weeks to the election. At that time flood disaster had hit many parts of the country and thousands lost their lives apart from homes, jobs and possessions. The labour union president, Ernest Adamosho compiled a report on the subject: The Government, The Interest, The Citizens. He asked the government to justify lavishing public funds on itself, leaving its subjects vulnerable to all manners of disasters.’

‘That is awful. How did they…’

‘Wait. The labour chronicle drew on the reports of some German experts invited to identify the problems that led to the flooding. Places where people now live are naturally hazardous, according to the report of the experts. Thus, the chronicle blamed the government for its lack of

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vision. If the government had the housing scheme of Singapore for instance, the nation with its population of less than two hundred million, would not spread beyond the major cities by now and that would cover a relatively small space. And fifty buildings alone in Singapore could take the whole of Agbor conveniently. So people would not need to spread as far as the swamps.’

‘I guess the experts were thorough.’

‘Based on the attachment of the report, the labour chronicle revealed that the funds the government lavished on itself every month could build a town as large as Auchi every three months, with good roads, drainages, street light, several schools, health facilities and at least three hundred of fifteen storey residential buildings.’

Siva shook his head. ‘And you think it was a true report or mischief making?’

‘Yes, go and calculate the executive expenditure,’ he continued. ‘In further castigation of the government, labour called attention to the state of the electricity. The Ministry of Electricity and Power supply at that time had just announced its survey. According to its Minister, professor Chimobi Jaja, the energy sufficiency for the nation with its population of over one hundred and seventy million was two hundred thousand megawatts. But with the current energy output of just four thousand megawatts, it would be right to say that the nation is in perpetual blackout. At the end of the announcement, the ministry promised an addition of five thousand megawatts by the end of the year.’

‘I was still going to school at the time.’

‘What happened? Labour dismissed all claims and promises by the government as offers induced by pre-election fever, something the nation had seen many times in the past. Instead, labour went ahead to declare ‘No election’ in quotes, until the government proffers explanation to why links were broken where they did and

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until Sunsila  Apo shed light on the black holes of his report. The protest was violent. Police and soldiers began killing people. But the people continued to resist. In many states, security officers later turned to the side of the protesters. We thought it was going to become anarchy until state of emergency was declared in one state after another. The same thing is here with us again.’

‘But is anything happening right now?’

‘Yes. So much. It only remains for all the pieces to fall in place.’

‘So why did the rival kill Usman?’

Chief Bode went on. ‘Labour declaration of “No Election” hit Usman hard. Labour also promised to fight with electoral officials and prevent people from voting. It was a lot of trouble for Usman who wanted the election to hold by all means. He had everything. I guess he was the greatest philanthropist ever known in this country and the most credible contractor. He won the loyalty of the citizens across all ethnic, social, religious and economic backgrounds, people who did not know he was a devil like us. Let me tell you. Before bringing his proposal to the organisation, Usman  had met friends among us and told them about his vision of a revolution. After the last protest, he was eager to meet the organisation. He wanted everyone of us to surrender our shares of the oil blocks, destroy all the memos for The Oil Arithmetic and allow the nation to run normal economy. But the whole thing got complicated as the organisation saw the selfish motive. They claimed that he wanted everything to be on hand by the time he became president and he could easily take them over. That was when The Oil Revolution concept entered our organisation.’

‘Did you think that he had that ulterior motive?’

‘No, I didn’t. He personally came to me to express his fears. I am sure he was frank enough. Still, you never
 
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could tell. He had had the reputation of bereaving people of their investments. That made him the richest among us.’

Negative comments of some of the people Siva investigated lately stampeded through his brain. As Bode went on, a call entered Siva’s phone and interrupted. Siva looked at it and press the red button.

‘Who was that?’

‘My fiancée. It is about the marriage of my friend. I guess they are waiting for me.’

‘Do you want to go and come back?’

Siva Okojie looked at the time. It was quarters to five. He had no intention of leaving.

‘I will manage it,’ he said.

The chief was going on. ‘As Usman began to support the public more than the organisation, such action was viewed as a betrayal, leading to restricting him from some of our operations. But you must know one thing, Mr. Okojie. We don’t kill our members unless all efforts to frustrate them failed. So when Usman won the election, we tried to frustrate him through annulment by the then existing head of state and he was thereafter thrown into detention when he stubbornly declared himself winner.’

‘That was the regime of General Suleman Mustapha.’

‘Yes. But it had nothing to do with Mustapha. It was Usman who made yet another mistake. He accepted advice from the wrong people he knew could not help him. They advised him to contest in the next election when he leaves the prison. And he would thus become the Nigerian Mandela, from prison to president. But the advisers later abandoned him. And he wasted the amnesty that was very close to him.
On the last day before his death, top African leaders had a meeting here. Usman was invited to the meeting where he revealed his desire to rise again to the nation’s presidency. If he had known, he would choose differently. And he would have escaped the tea with daggers in the flask of

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two chambers during the dinner. He did not know that there were daggers in the teacup. On that night, Usman died.’

Siva was finding it had to breathe. And he remembered Amino, the prison warden at Kirikiri. Amino was right. He was not sedated. There was no way he could have known that the prisoner under him was poisoned.

‘I am not sure the cause of his death was announced,’ Siva said.

‘It was. Heart attack, three days after.’

‘From all indication, your organisation took the last resort of killing him when frustration failed,’ Siva was trying to digest what he was hearing. Everything bore the ring of truth too much to have been mere coincidence. Usman’s death was announced three days after the meeting of African leaders.

Chief Bode shook his head. ‘It is not completely so. The poisoning conspiracy was done by our next member to become president when Usman was in prison. He arranged the meeting of the African leaders. He also told us that he poisoned him because he did not want Usman to come back. Otherwise, he was going to ruin his chances. He also saw Usman going into business for himself, the business of revenge and a break to the organisation’s well-established circles. So in the organisations ongoing effort to frustrate him until he becomes useless, the general had sworn to destroy him.’

‘Are there records to prove some of these things?’

‘I am going to give you more than enough.’

Siva felt a sudden cold. ‘Who is that general?’

Chief Bode waved a hand at him to indicate that he didn’t want to go further.

‘What I have revealed so far is enough for now. You have to do something for me first. I want you to arrange safety for me and my family until the denunciation is over.’
 
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‘Chief I don’t know how to thank you. It is all I have been looking for.’

‘No, it is not all. You need the proof also.’

‘I know. What I am trying to say is the courage you have. I have seen that you are very remorseful. But I am afraid there is no way pursuance of this case is going to see you completely pardoned. In any case, I am going to do whatever I can to let the court know how repentant you are. That would lessen whatever punishment. Apart from that, I am not sure you have any other problem.’

‘You did not see my problem, Mr. Okojie. What you think is going to be a problem is not my problem. I am not running. Before I began to talk to you, I know that I am going to suffer for my bad deeds. I am prepared. I am going to submit myself for imprisonment. The money too, I don’t need it any more. I will submit to probing. I am not begging you to shield me from the consequences of my deeds. That is not my problem.’

Zugeru Odide was at the door, entering the room. He walked quietly to the seat he left earlier, sat down and began to listen to the argument. Bode looked at his brother slowly.

‘Lasisi did not come back with you?’ he asked his brother.

‘No.’

Turning to Siva he said, ‘Where were we?’

Siva took a deep breath. ‘You wanted to tell me your problem.’

‘Dear Mr. Okojie, I fear for my life. I have revealed to you, top oil secrets. My entire family could be wiped off for it.’

Siva’s heart quickened. ‘You said no one should know.’

‘I told you that military dictatorship is not completely over yet. We are trapped in between. You could see that I cut a lot of corners to keep this meeting very private. Still, I am not sure they don’t know.’

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It took Siva a long moment to sink his word down. He was discouraged.

‘I don’t think all my life I have smuggled out a bottle of beer. How do I manage with intelligent creatures, a whole family?’

‘You are duty bound, Mr. Okojie. Consider that my family is facing total annihilation.’

Siva was thoughtful for a moment. ‘I have to involve the police…’

‘No. If I were to agree to do that, we would actually be a flock of sleep sold to the slaughter. Many top police officers are members of our organisation. They are expositors.’

‘Chief Bode, I don’t have any other way I can help you.’

‘Probably you think I have no proof,’ Odide was frantic. ‘There are many paper documents and video documents. I am going to give you now. Then after you arranged my safety, I will tell you the general’s name and what our organisation is called.’

‘I am probably going to use the welfare. I would arrange special check by people personally known to me.’

‘Wait. We have no independent welfare. All  are government cover-ups.’

‘So what am I going to do?’

‘You must find a way.’

By the time they concluded, Agatha had called seventeen times. Read more In Print Book | Kindle Ebookhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B010I5GSI4