At midnight, a fourteen-year-old girl named Aneesa steps out of her room, heading toward her mother’s. She’s a typical teenager, dressed simply, and calls out to her mom, complaining of hunger. But her words freeze when she sees her mother, Hajiya Saudat, lying in a pool of blood. Her grandmother, Hajiya Kaka, stands nearby, holding a bloody knife, trembling as she insists, “I swear I didn’t kill her, Aneesa, believe me!” Aneesa, overwhelmed with shock and grief, accuses Kaka of murdering her mother, screaming that she’s always wanted her dead. Fueled by anger, Aneesa vows to report her to the police and storms out, determined to seek justice.
Hajiya Kaka, collapsing in despair, cries out that no one will believe her innocence. Meanwhile, Aneesa, barefoot and frantic, races to the nearby police station, banging on the gate. A policeman, startled, lets her in. Sobbing, she explains that her grandmother killed her mother, claiming she saw it with her own eyes. The officers, led by their superior, decide to investigate and have Aneesa write a statement. They head to the house, where Kaka, drenched in sweat and fear, pleads her innocence, explaining she only tried to help by removing the knife. The police, unconvinced, arrest her as she collapses in terror.
By morning, news of Hajiya Saudat’s death, the wife of a former commissioner, spreads across Kaduna. Known for her kindness and community service, her death shocks many. Crowds gather, some mourning, others gossiping about Kaka’s alleged crime. Aneesa, devastated, cries endlessly as her mother’s body is prepared for burial. Relatives from Taraba arrive, joining her in grief, and hundreds attend the funeral, praising Saudat’s good character.
At 1:30 PM, an angry crowd gathers outside the police station, demanding justice. Some shout for Kaka to be handed over for punishment, while others call for a fair investigation. The story paints a vivid picture of grief, betrayal, and a community divided by a tragic event, with Aneesa caught in the center, grappling with loss and her quest for truth.
