SALVATION ARMY
1
Lagos, Nigeria
A local radio played the trade mark music of a popular radio station then the news updates came up in Pidgin English
“Faji FM 106.5 be be nlo, enjoyment continual continor… Una Good morning, my name na Samson Ogene and I bring una the latest tori.
Wonders them say, e no get end… yesterday for Imo State, Owerri, the people for one village wey them dey call Umaka-Orlu say them just dey hear noise last night, noise wey nobody understand and wey dey make person fear and as them wake up the following morning them kon dey check the whole village but them no see any wahala but them later discover say the noise dey come from neighboring village Orodo, dem begin wonder how noise from Orodo go reach them, so them say make them go Orodo go see wetin happen and na so earthquake come happen… everywhere begin shake and na so people from Umaka-Orlu start to dey run up and down, na so the road wey lead to Orodo just divide into two, one big hole come dey there wey be say people wey go Orodo wey go Orodo no fit come back again… the tori no end there oh, around 15 minutes to 8 police don come but them too no see road enter Orodo to see wetin dey happen for inside there and as we dey talk now people gather for there but no road to enter Orodo, in fact big confusion just tanda for Owerri now…”
Another Radio station dropped the same update in English
“Ray Power! Ray Power! 100.5… Ray power!… Good Morning Lagos, My name is Remi Gideon and I bring to you the news of the day… Strange earthquake rocks Orodo in Owerri, Imo State and the police force and other emergency units have been unable to gain access into the disaster affected area, all efforts made to contact other police stations within the disaster affected area have proved negative, the police force have decided to send in helicopters to survey the area for damages and information… more updates coming in shortly…”
11:00am
Police Headquarters, Abuja
Inspector General of Police’s office
An officer walked into the office and saluted
“Yes? Any news?” IG asked
“Sir no news, the second helicopter sent in has not returned”
“Jesus Christ! What is going on?” IG said then looked at his wrist watch
“The second helicopter entered there by 9am” IG said
“Sir we have no idea what is going on”
“Well send another Helicopter and this time no landing” he said
“Yes sir” he saluted and left…
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, ASO ROCK, ABUJA
“General what is going on?” President asked
“Your Excellency we do not understand, we have sent in police helicopters but they never returned, we sent one more and it returned with even more mysterious information” General said
“What information?”
“There is not a single sign of life neither did they find the previous helicopters” General said and the President sank into his chair; his worries were more than just the missing indigenes of Orodo
“General send your soldiers by foot” President said
“Your Excellency, there is not a single road into that village”
“There should be at least one” he said
“Sir there is none, the foot path which we are not certain of is through a swamp forest they call the evil forest and from that swamp, it would take the soldier two days to get into that village”
“I don’t care how many months, send a battalion to find out what happened there” he said
“Ok sir”
“Look General this is more than one problem, in that village is one of the biggest hospital established in the state by the American government and it is run by American doctors and nurses… 30 minutes ago, President of America called and his words were not comforting… they plan on sending their men over in 48hours if we have no reasonable information about what happened and this will cost Nigeria a lot”
“Sir we will put in our best but I strongly believe that the American government can help us here” General said…
WASHINGTON DC, America
“Mr. President you sent for me” General Kane said as he walked into the office holding his cap in his hand
“General Kane” the president shook his hand
“Please” he gesticulated to the chair as they both sat down
“I need men to go to Nigeria… the situation there is way too mysterious for the Nigerian government so I need us to put our hand to it and see what we can dig out”
“Missing people… I saw the news this morning” General Kane said
“Not just missing people, everyone is missing, they do not know the situation of our citizens trapped in there, and search helicopters went missing on touchdown… at first I thought it could be a terrorist attack but I think I am wrong”
“Doesn’t look like a terrorist attack to me…” General Kane said as he thought for awhile
“I might know someone who can handle this but he is retired and may not want to get involved” general Kane said
“We are talking about lives here General… he should be interested” President said, General chuckled
“That doesn’t changed the fact that he may not be interested” General said
“Listen General Kane” the President adjusted his seating as he moved forward
“If this soldier can help as you say he can then I will personally see that himself and his men are settled in millions of dollars” The President said
“
Smiles
Money doesn’t move him either” General said
“Then what?” the President said as he leaned back to his chair
“Well… I’ll get back to you sir, I will personally speak to him, he is currently at a point where he would need the money” General said
“You have my word… just get him to do it” the President said
“I will sir” General Kane got up, saluted and left…