It was a night Dave will not forget in a hurry. A journey that will always remain vivid in his memory. It was a Friday afternoon when he got a call from his boss to travel to a certain remote part of the country for oil exploration. He is to represent his company, an oil servicing company in the negotiation of the contract with the government and the host community.
He never wanted to travel, let alone that part of the country that is notorious for arm robbery, kidnappings and notorious gang operations. He, like an obedient servant, obeyed and prepared his things to make the trip. He did not want to use the company's official car, ah that's a no no. It will give him away as one of the VIPs and a good target. He decided to use the public transport.
The information to make the trip came late and he had to board a night bus so as to hit the small town very early the next day. He prayed to God for journey mercies. The bus zoomed off and all was calm. It was a smooth ride anyway as the road is in a very good condition. The government had to work on it following persistent calls and threats by militants in the host communities to disrupt oil exploration if the road is not fixed.
Suddenly, the driver of the bus stopped and asked everybody to disembark and take cover in the bush. He had gotten signal of an ongoing robbery few poles away. Dave's mind flew away! Please, "Lord save me from this journey," Dave prayed. He hurriedly left the bus and entered the bush just as he had been commanded. Other passengers also complied. There was palpable panick everywhere. In few seconds, he heard cries and shoutings of people in agony. He became confused. "Mr. Man lie low, they are coming towards our direction". A voice echoed to Dave who simply complied. He could see flashes of touchlight everywhere. His mind skipped and he prayed to high heavens. He could also hear people screaming and asking for mercy.
After awhile the commotion died down and he could hear the voice of the driver urging them to come out. Like a tortoise, Dave crawled out of the woods. He saw other passengers telling their tales of woes from the robbers. He thanked God that nothing funny happened to him afterall. But the incident remain indelible in his memory. A night he cannot forget so easily in his lifetime.