At Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Katsina
Anyone familiar with Umaru Musa Yaradua University in Katsina knows that it is located on the outskirts of town — at least a 45-minute drive to the city center.
A group of first-year students from the Department of Microbiology came out of their class, exhausted, around 6:05 p.m., after attending lectures from 4 to 6.
Mimi was stretching and groaning in fatigue. She looked at her two friends and said,
> “Oh God! Looks like we’ll have to sleep in the hostel tonight. Look how cloudy the sky is — maybe it’s about to rain?”
Usheey replied in frustration,
> “Ah! Captain must talk to that lecturer to reschedule these classes — maybe move them to Wednesday mornings instead. Who does 4-to-6 on a Saturday?”
The other girl, who was wearing a niqab (face veil), said,
> “Please let’s hurry before the bus gets filled up. You know those guys won’t wait, especially with this weather — everyone wants to rush home.”
Mimi sighed,
> “I honestly don’t have the strength.”
Usheey replied,
> “Fine, we’ll go and leave you here.”
They continued walking.
Then the girl in niqab said,
> “Oh no! Look, the school bus 2 has already left!”
Mimi snapped back,
> “You worry too much — do you think the bus left just because of us?”
The veiled girl turned her face away because she knew if she opened her mouth again, she might start crying.
Usheey said teasingly,
> “Mimi, no matter what time we arrive, I know you’ll still complain.”
After that, none of them spoke again. By the time they reached the Student Center, it was getting dark, and only a few girls remained. Some had already gotten a lift.
Mimi suggested,
> “Should we sit on the SUG benches and wait for the bus to return?”
Usheey replied,
> “Sit where? So that rain will catch us?”
The other girl said,
> “Then what do we do? Should we walk to the gate? Maybe we’ll find a commercial vehicle there.”
Mimi groaned,
> “No way. I can’t walk twenty minutes.”
Usheey said,
> “Then we’ll leave you.”
They started walking off, and Mimi shouted,
> “No way! You won’t leave me here!”
She quickly followed them. They kept walking and chatting lightly. Night had fully fallen now, and the clouds grew darker. The time on Mimi’s phone showed 6:45 p.m.
Tears gathered in the veiled girl’s eyes. Few cars were passing. Mimi said,
> “We’re doomed if it rains. If only we could get a lift.”
Usheey replied,
> “Exactly.”
Just then, a black tinted car sped past them, then suddenly reversed and started coming back.
Mimi quickly adjusted her clothes and said,
> “Yes! I knew God wouldn’t abandon us. Our lift has come!”
Usheey said,
> “Thank God! At least we won’t have to walk to the gate.”
But the veiled girl looked at them in disbelief and said,
> “Wait, you’re really going to enter that tinted car? You can hear the loud sound of its engine, and it’s already dark!”
Usheey and Mimi hissed in annoyance.
Usheey said,
> “Look, Bestie, if we let this car go, we don’t know when we’ll get home. And it’s not like we’re outside the campus — what’s the worst that could happen?”
Mimi said irritably,
> “Simple solution: if she doesn’t want to enter, we’ll just leave her.”
Before the veiled girl could say anything, the car stopped right in front of them.
They stared at the dark-tinted window as it slowly rolled down. Inside were two young men — one in the driver’s seat, the other in the passenger seat. They looked like friends.
Mimi, smiling politely, said,
> “Good evening, please — are you heading into town?”
The driver frowned slightly and said briefly,
> “Yes.”
The other man didn’t even glance at them. Without hesitation, Mimi opened the back door to enter, but the driver said,
> “Not with that ninja of yours coming into my car.”
Mimi looked at him, puzzled.
> “Ninja? What do you mean?”
He pointed toward the girl in niqab.
> “That one.”
Usheey whispered to her,
> “Seebi, please lift your niqab a bit.”
The one called Seebi glared at her and said firmly,
> “I won’t lift it — and I won’t remove it either.”
At that, the man in the passenger seat turned to look at her. She raised her head slightly, and their eyes met.
For nearly ten seconds, they just stared at each other silently — until he quickly looked away and said quietly to his friend,
> “Maalesh, please let’s go.”
Maalesh (the driver) turned to Mimi and said coldly,
> “Miss, close my door.”
Mimi was about to beg him, but the veiled girl quickly shut the door. Maalesh sped off immediately.
Mimi burst out angrily,
> “Seebi! What’s wrong with you? You just ruined our only chance to get home!”
Usheey replied,
> “Oh please, Mimi, he was rude first. How could he call her a ‘ninja’? And since when must she remove her veil before he gives us a ride?”
The veiled girl said softly,
> “They never intended to take us in the first place.”
Usheey said,
> “Did you see the guy in the passenger seat? Just one look and I could tell he’s a fine guy — didn’t even glance our way.”
Seebi only muttered “Hmm,” remembering the brief eye contact they had.
Mimi, still irritated, said,
> “Whatever — they’re gone. Let’s just go. Seebi ruined everything; maybe they would’ve even asked for our numbers.”
Usheey laughed,
> “And there’s your problem — always thinking about numbers.”
Mimi gave her a side-eye, while Seebi chuckled quietly — she was used to their constant banter. Right now, all she wanted was to get home safely.
---
Later That Night
They kept walking until they reached the university gate and crossed the main road. It was already dark — past 7 p.m. Fear and exhaustion filled their hearts, especially Seebi, who was now silently crying beneath her veil.
They had gone some distance beyond the gate when Usheey said,
> “If you don’t want to walk all the way to town, let’s at least stop one of these cars for a lift.”
She turned to Mimi,
> “Please, try to flag one down.”
Mimi frowned,
> “I’m not stopping anyone.”
“Please, Mimi,” begged the veiled girl. “If I stop one, will you refuse to enter?”
She quickly removed her veil and said,
> “See — I’ve taken it off completely.”
Mimi smiled faintly,
> “Wow, you’re serious this time.”
She moved closer to the roadside and stretched out her hand, but about ten cars zoomed past without stopping.
Mimi sighed,
> “They won’t stop. I’m tired.”
Usheey said,
> “Don’t give up.”
Mimi rolled her eyes,
> “Then come and help me flag them down.”
Usheey laughed, stepped forward, and joined her.
From afar, they saw a red car approaching with its full lights on. They both waved eagerly so it could see them. But the car drove straight past.
Usheey exclaimed,
> “Oh God, we’re in trouble tonight!”
Seebi, standing aside, was crying silently.
Suddenly, they heard a horn behind them. They turned around — Mimi said,
> “Wait, that’s a BMW reversing toward us. The red car guy must have come back!”
Usheey said quickly,
> “Let’s hurry before he changes his mind!”
They rushed toward the car. Mimi reached first, with the others behind her. She greeted through the window,
> “Assalamu Alaikum.”
The man rolled down his window and replied to her greeting.
Mimi gasped. The man was strikingly handsome, almost breathtaking.
Seeing Mimi frozen in admiration, Usheey stepped closer and said politely,
> “Good evening. We’re heading into town, please — could you give us a ride?”
He replied calmly,
> “Bismillah (you’re welcome).”
Usheey said,
> “Thank you so much!” and nudged Mimi.
Mimi quickly composed herself and entered the front seat, while Usheey opened the back door and sat inside. She looked at her friend still standing outside and said,
> “Seebi, come on, get in.”
Seebi entered quietly, greeting him with,
> “Assalamu Alaikum.”
He turned slightly, replied softly, and looked away — clearing some papers from the back seat as they settled in.
