Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

**The Reunion**



As part of the standard procedure in event like this, a post-mortem was done by the hospital’s pathologist and the report sent to the prison authorities. It read in part, cause of death “Severe haemorrhage due to miscarriage of her 10 weeks pregnancy as a result of poor dieting and stress. Coupled also with the delay in getting the required blood transfusion and medical attention”. Her body was said to have been evacuated to the hospitals morgue in the report, pending when the prison authorities would come for its evacuation.


Two senior members of the Ikoyi prison service were then appointed as family liaison officers and sent to notify Ima family of her demise. They met Mrs Margaret at her shop two days later and broke the news of Ima’s death to her. Explaining what caused her death, she was said to have suffered a miscarriage and died from the resulting blood loss. She was already in tears by this time having had time during the funeral to reflect at the whole event. It wasn’t really the girl’s fault. Although she was angry the girl even got pregnant for Micheal, something she had so wanted herself.


The officers told her since she died in their custody, they were expected to handle to burial arrangement with support from the victim’s family. She told them she wasn’t a member of the girl’s family and didn’t know how to contact them. According to her, she knew the girl was from the same,place with her and her late husband (Micheal). The officers told her in such am event and since the prisoner was serving a life sentence, they would have to bury her their own way and convenience. According to them, the authorities of the military hospital had already sent for them to come dispose of the corpse.


By morning of the next day, three male prisoners were led by warden officers to the Ikoyi cemetery to dig a grave. Two other male prisoners in the company of some male warden left for the hospital in the prison van. Two rifle bearing and stern looking military officers (acting on special orders) would take her body wrapped in a white cloak to the cemetery with them for interment.
Only one newspaper carried the news in a small corner of their back page.


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Having gone past weeks and approaching her second trimester, the non surgical procedure was always going to be risky. It was expected that she would lose a lot of blood during the bleeding and hence, was going to need to receive proper attention from a doctor afterwards. It was suggested she took the drug while a doctor was at hand, but there was no way she could be brought to the hospital without first falling critically ill. So the other plan was to pass the drug and instructions to her, while also keeping the response team at alert. She was to take the first pill between the hours of 8 and 10 and then take the second pill as soon she screams after she starts bleeding.



This was risky because the second pill would sedate her into a semi-unconscious state.


With the symptoms being exactly like that of a normal miscarriage, the officers on duty immediately swung into action and the prison ambulance was conspicuously nearby and in good working condition. The military hospital being at the other end of Awolowo road was the logical place to take her to as directed by a senior prison official.

The special medical team compromising of three (military) medical doctors were on hand to receive her into the emergency room. After the switch was complete some 30 minutes later, one of the doctors came out to break the news of her demise to the waiting prison officials who then left. They were told to expect the autopsy report later as the pathologist was working on the corpse already.

Meanwhile, in a different surgical room on a different floor, Ima still in her drug induced unconsciousness had her bleeding controlled. She was stabilized and placed on the required medical. Everything went as planned as they already had in their possession the unclaimed body of a red light district girl who died in another part of the capital city earlier in the week. By 8pm that night, they was a patient transfer from the hospital.


The next days Ima was having breakfast in her room in the private clinic when she noticed she had started bleeding again. The doctor was called in and after a few examination declared that there were pregnancy tissue still left in her uterus. It was an incomplete medical abortion, and according to him, a surgical evacuation (D C) was needed to clean it up. But the complications that would arise later, meant Ima would never have a child again as she lost her womb to it.


Fully recovered, she left Lagos for Benin where she spent the next 5 years working for Miss Osaro while also attending the university of Benin. She was posted to Lagos for her service year. Returning to Lagos, she was already neck deep and literally ran Osaro’s business.


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Jama had within the past five years risen to a new rank of Lieutenant and was now married due to pressure from his father. He had also gone on several killing and rescue missions for his boss and was now head of a special trusted strike force.