October 1

Police inspector Danladi Waziri is summoned by the British to present his findings on a series of rapes and murders in Akote. He travels to the remote village and begins a preliminary assessment, looking for patterns among the victims. The investigation is framed by colonial oversight, setting a tense tone for what follows.

Waziri meets Prince Aderopo, the village's first university graduate, who attracts admiration from locals. In the village bar, Aderopo mingles with his childhood friends Tawa and Agbekoya, establishing his social prominence. The scene hints at the power dynamics and expectations that will influence the investigation.

As he investigates, Waziri detects a pattern linking the rapes and murders into a single serial sequence. He moves beyond treating each incident separately, seeking a unifying perpetrator. The realization sharpens the focus of the inquiry and raises the stakes for those involved.

That evening, Baba Ifa warns Waziri and Afonja that the killings will continue until the killer is satisfied. He frames the violence as a ritual-driven cycle that demands caution and vigilance. The warning deepens the sense that tradition and belief intersect with the policing of the crimes.

The next day, the dead body of the guard's lover is discovered, confirming the killer's reach and brutality. Waziri pushes the case forward, using the new evidence to broaden the investigation. Fear spreads through the community as the violence continues.

Waziri orders the arrest of Baba Ifa, but Afonja refuses, leading to Waziri suspending him and appointing Corporal Omolodun in his place. The power shift within the local police adds tension and uncertainty to the pursuit. The clash between colonial authority and local tradition becomes a new obstacle in the case.

The body of an Igbo girl is discovered, and Corporal Omolodun trails the killer along a bush path. The killer ambushes and kills Omolodun, underscoring the danger in pursuing the case. The murder intensifies Waziri's resolve to identify the true perpetrator.

Okafor and his fellow tribesmen capture a travelling Hausa man, claiming he is the serial killer. The accused maintains his innocence and tells Waziri that the actual perpetrator was whistling a tune, a clue that Waziri later weighs. The misidentification complicates the investigation and raises suspicions about who is responsible.

Waziri informs his superiors that he has found the killer and intends to close the case. During the transfer, Okafor lunges with a machete and kills the man, who again asserts his innocence. The event reveals the fragility of the legal process and the pull of mob justice.

After leaving a celebration of the investigation's closure, Waziri is assaulted by the killer while drunkenly recovering at Afonja's home. He is initially unable to identify the attacker, but as he regains consciousness he recalls the killer's face. The incident rekindles his determination to solve the crimes.

Early the next morning, Waziri goes to the market square to study body language and look for tells from Aderopo. He begins to connect Aderopo's public comportment with the broader pattern of killings. The scene emphasizes Waziri's methodical approach and the peril posed by powerful locals.

Waziri visits Tawa and learns that Aderopo and Agbekoya received the same scholarship from Reverend Dowling, the village priest. Agbekoya reveals that Dowling molested him and Aderopo, linking the abuse to the killer's motive. The revelation reframes the violence as a legacy of buried trauma within the community.

During an independence celebration, Aderopo invites Tawa to their renovated childhood hideout. Waziri and Afonja attempt to trail them but are unsuccessful; Agbekoya leads them to the location, revealing the network of secrets surrounding the killer. The find demonstrates how past abuse shapes current actions in the community.

As Aderopo moves to make Tawa his sixth victim, Waziri and Afonja intervene and save her. The confrontation exposes the killer's pattern and the long-hidden trauma behind the murders. The scene is a turning point that forces a reckoning with Dowling's legacy and its consequences.

Waziri presents his account to the British authorities, who instruct him to withhold Aderopo's identity to maintain peace during independence. He reluctantly agrees, balancing justice with political stability. The resolution preserves public order while leaving room for memory and interpretation within the community.