Kuje Prison riot: Boko Haram prisoner caught with 25 phones

Adelani Adepegba and Samson Folarin

Sporadic gunfire caused pandemonium at Kuje Prison, Abuja, on Monday, following a riot by some inmates, who resisted the attempt by prison officials to search their cells for banned items.

It was gathered that security operatives fired gunshots and tear gas canisters to restore law and order and control the rioters.

This happened 11 days after a similar incident in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State, that led to the death of six inmates and injuries to four prison warders.

The Monday riot occurred two months after two inmates, standing trial for culpable homicide, escaped from the Kuje Prison on June 25. The fleeing inmates have yet to be re-arrested.

Sources in the prison said the violent protest was brought under control by the armed squad of the Nigerian Prisons Service supported by soldiers providing additional security cover for the formation.

The incident, it was learnt, caused panic among residents of Kuje community, who believed that the prison was under attack by terrorists.

The Controller of Prisons, FCT Command, Daniel Odharo, in a statement, confirmed the crisis at the prison but said there was no injury or escape by inmates.

Odharo said, “At about 1000hrs on Monday, staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search which is a part of the prisons operational guidelines to prevent the breach of security within and around the prisons.

“Some inmates tried to resist the exercise, which led to an altercation between the search party and the inmates. This was quickly put under effective control. No prisoner was injured, no property damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful.”

Investigations by one of our correspondents indicated that the violence was instigated by convicts, who refused to allow  warders to carry out a search on their cells for prohibited items.

One of our correspondents gathered from a reliable source in the prison that during the search, 25 mobile sets were recovered from a suspected Boko Haram inmate.

The source stated, “The incident happened this morning. The warders, who were acting on instructions from the prison authorities, decided to search the cells and seize prohibited items.

“During the search, they found 25 handsets with a Boko Haram suspect. After a search of the convicts’ cells, they moved to the awaiting-trial cells.

“But those men, who saw the warders approaching with some ‘already’ seized items, decided to resist them.  They attacked the warders with stones and every object they could lay their hands on, and in the process, many of the warders were injured.”

It was gathered that after a search, some substances, suspected to be cannabis, were also uncovered in some cells and confiscated.

Another prison source told The PUNCH that the warders, who were overwhelmed, retreated for reinforcement.

They were said to have opened fire on some of the inmates, during which some of them were injured, though it could not be ascertained if any of the inmates died as some suspected.

“I can’t say the total number of casualties among the inmates, but I can confirm to you that many of the warders were injured,” he added.

The source explained that the inmates resisted the warders because the prohibited items were brought in by warders after being tipped.

He said, “The rot in the Nigerian Prisons Service is serious. The prohibited items that the warders wanted to seize were brought into the yard by the same warders.

“The inmates had been enjoying this privilege through trafficking by the warders. It is only natural that they will fight back, and it is a bad trend for the prisons service.”

VIP inmates resist search

It was gathered that the convicts, who were kept in a block called ‘VIP’, were allowed to enjoy certain privileges not permitted by the prison rules and regulations.

Sources stated that against prison rules, awaiting trial inmates were allowed to stay in the VIP block as it was more comfortable.

It was learnt that the dormitory-like block, where the awaiting trial inmates were kept, was congested with poor ventilation while the convicts’ cells were more pleasant to stay.

A source said, “What happened on Monday was that as the officers moved to carry out a search of their cells, the inmates refused and before you know it the situation had degenerated into an altercation between the inmates and the officers with some convicts trying to physically attack the warders.

“The armed squad had to fire into the air and they also released some tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control.”

In June, the prisons service dismissed a female prison officer for smuggling alcoholic drinks into the Kirikiri prison in Lagos.

About two weeks ago, the Federal Government dismissed 23 prison officers for alleged complicity in jailbreaks at the Kuje Medium Security Prison, Abuja, and the Koton-Karfe Prisons, Kogi State.

The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prison Services Board, at its emergency meeting held on August 11, 2016, approved the dismissal of three senior prison officers serving in Kuje Prison and three other senior officers serving in Koton-Karfe Prison for their complicity in the escape of prisoners from the respective prisons.

In addition, the Controller-General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru, had also approved the dismissal of seven junior prison officers serving in Kuje Prison and 10 other junior staff serving in Koton Karfe prison, who were also implicated in the jailbreaks.

My policeman friend led team that killed my son – Father

Simon Utebor,  Yenagoa

The father of Innocent Kokorifa, who was allegedly killed by a police team in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has demanded justice for his son.

Mr. Daniel Kokorifa, an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Rivers State Sector Command, said his son was murdered by a team led by his friend.

He spoke on Monday when some human rights activists, led by a former Secretary, Civil Liberties Organisation, Mr. Alagoa Morris, paid a condolence visit to his home in the Okaka area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Innocent, who was first of five children, was allegedly shot dead by the police anti-kidnapping team on Air Force Road in Yenagoa on August 18, 2016.

The victim was said to be running an errand for his mother, Pere, when he was killed.

But the state police command had in a statement claimed that the victim died during a gun battle between a three-man robbery gang and the police.

The victim’s father, Daniel, however, said upon investigation, he discovered that Innocent was killed by a police team led by his own friend.

He explained that his son died on the day his West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination results were released wherein he passed all his papers.

He said, “On August 18, 2016, my wife called me that our son was shot dead by the police. We went to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, but they denied knowledge of the incident.

“We went to the anti-vice unit and they also denied. When we went to the scene of the incident, we discovered that it was the anti-vice team that came for the operation.

“The following morning, I went to the anti-vice team again, but they denied knowledge of it. I saw a friend, who worked there. When I asked him, he also denied any knowledge of it. But I later discovered that it was my friend, who led the team, that killed my son.

“From there, I went to the Emergency Ward at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, in search of my son. There, I was told that the police brought the boy in the night around 11pm, the doctors said the boy was brought dead.

“That was how I knew my son was dead. I went inside the mortuary with my son’s picture and my ID card before they allowed me in. I saw his lifeless body in the morgue.”

Daniel, while thanking various rights groups that had been standing by the family, said his son’s dream of studying law at the university had been cut short.

“From birth, he never had any criminal record. The day he died was the day his principal called me that he made all his papers. Now, he is dead. All I demand is justice,” he added.

The victim’s mother, Pere, said she asked him to give N2,000 to her elder sister’s daughter around 10pm on the day of the incident.

“We started searching for him when he didn’t return on time. We went to hospitals and police stations, but they all denied knowing the whereabouts of my son. The following day, when my husband returned from Port Harcourt where he works, we went to the SCIID and they asked me to write a statement that it was bad boys that killed my son, so that they could investigate the matter, but I refused.”

Human rights activist, Morris, said, “Even a criminal is innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. And until a judge pronounces the death penalty, no one has the right to take a life.”

Another activist, Ebiserikumo Gbassa, who described the development as an extra-judicial killing, said the police had ended the life of a promising youth.

“I am appealing to all relevant authorities to ensure that the killers of the innocent boy are brought to book,” he added.

When contacted, the spokesman for the police command in the state, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said the police were investigating the matter.

However, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Amiengheme Andy, last Friday, sympathised with the family of the deceased.

Andy had said, “We do not encourage such things. We all have children and nobody will send anyone out to shoot anybody and anyone who does that will pay dearly for it.

“We want to assure the family that nobody will cover up the matter.

Nigerian universities develop anti-plagiarism software

 

The University of Ilorin in collaboration with six other Nigerian universities have developed an anti-plagiarism software, designed to check academic fraud.
According to the University Bulletin issued on Monday, the other universities are Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin and Covenant University, Ota.
Others are Delta State University Abraka, Benue State University Makurdi, University of Jos and Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife.
The publication said the software programme development was at the instance of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian University
This, it said, is the umbrella organisation for Vice-Chancellors of the nation’s federal, state and private universities.
It said the AVCNU had mandated its Information and Communication Technology Sub-committee, chair, and the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, to assemble IT team from Nigerian universities.
The team would develop the home-grown anti-plagiarism software with the local repository.
It quoted the Director, Computer Services and Information Technology, Directorate of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Mohammed Ahmed, as saying the software was at 80 per cent completion.
Ahmed added that using local human resource to develop the software has helped to cut down cost and show the ingenuity of Nigerians.
He explained that the software has both local and global repository with features such as peer review, document comparison, and grammar checker.
He said, “Other features are language support and title validation, with the name EAGLE SCAN being proposed for the programme.”
Ahmed said when operational, the anti-plagiarism application, would be made available to all Nigerian universities.
He said that the application would compete globally, and he called on the AVCNU to see to the digitisation of local contents in the various universities.
It said, “The VC of the Unilorin Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, commended the technical team put together by the AVCNU to develop the programme.
He noted that plagiarism is a criminal offence that has given the AVCNU concern, adding that the development of the programme is the AVCNU’s effort to ensure quality control towards quality assurance in the Nigeria education system.

Nigerians are hungry,Okogie tells Buhari

Cardinal Anthony Okogie

Friday Olokor and Leke Baiyewu

The Emeritus Archbishop of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Okogie, has said President Muhammadu Buhari must do something fast to address hunger across the country.

Okogie  said  in an open letter to the President on Monday  that  Buhari’s campaign slogan was anchored on change.

He stated, “Today, cries of “hunger” could be heard across the length and breadth of our vast country. Nigerians hunger, not only for food, but also for good leadership, for peace, security and justice.

“This letter is to appeal to you to do something fast, and, if you are already doing something, to redouble your effort. May it not be written on the pages of history that Nigerians die of starvation under your watch.

“As President, you are the chief servant of the nation. I therefore urge you to live up to the huge expectation of millions of Nigerians. A stitch in time saves nine.”

The cardinal said that Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, promised to lead the masses to the Promised Land.

He  said  that although it was not an easy task to lead, the President during his campaign  offered to take the enormous task of leadership.

The cardinal stated, “Nigerians are waiting for you to fulfill the promises you made during the campaign. They voted you into office because of those promises. The introduction of town hall meetings is a commendable idea. But in practice, you, not just your ministers, must converse with Nigerians. You are the President. You must be accountable to them. The buck stops on your desk. Even if your administration has no magic wand at least give some words of encouragement.”

He said that the President should  instruct his ministers to be sincere and polite at the town hall meetings, adding that their sophistry would neither benefit Nigerians nor the President.

“Mr. President, if you want to leave a credible legacy come 2019, in all sincerity, please retool your administration. Change is desirable. But it must be a change for the better. Let this change be real. Change is not real when old things that we ought to discard refuse to pass away,”  he added.

Okogie said that the President must take a critical look at his cabinet, policies and programmes of his  administration.

He added, “You will need to take a critical look at the manner of appointments you have been making. It is true that commonsense dictates that you appoint men and women you can trust. But if most of the people you trust are from one section of the country and practice the same religion, then you and all of us are living in insecurity.

“The Nigerian economy has never been in a state as terrible as this. You as the President, you are like the pilot of an aircraft flying in turbulence. Turbulent times bring the best or the worst out of a pilot. We can no longer blame the turbulence on past administrations. You know quite well that some of the officials of your administration served in previous dispensations. Blame for what we have been experiencing is in fact bipartisan in character.

“The entire political class needs to come together, irrespective of party differences to acknowledge its collective guilt and to seek ways of saving the sinking ship that our country has become. This cannot be done if some officials of your administration demonise and alienate members of the opposition.”

Okogie said that if a large portion of the blame for the present situation was to be laid on the doorsteps of the entire political class, the search for solution must involve everyone.

He said, “That is why no one should be alienated. All hands must be on deck.

“This is the time to revitalise moribund industries, reinvigorate our agriculture, make our country tourist and investor friendly, and enable our young men and women to find fulfillment by contributing to the common good.

“None of these lofty goals can be achieved without good education. On this particular issue, recent appointments you have made in the education sector raise a question: have you really appointed the best? Still on education, it is important that our universities be allowed to use their own criteria to admit students. It is a gross violation of the principles of federalism and academic freedom for the Federal Government to insist that only a federal parastatal can decide on who gains admission into our universities.”

Responding, the Presidency said President Muhammadu Buhari was already addressing the hunger in the land as advised by Okogie.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said this in an interview with The Punch.

Adesina said Buhari was working hard to ensure that Nigerians bid poverty and hunger farewell in shortest possible time.

The presidential spokesman said, “The respected cardinal asked the President to do something fast to address hunger across the country.

“That is exactly what the President is doing. He is working hard for Nigerians, so that they can say a final farewell to poverty and hunger.”

No big deal kissing OC Ukeje –Adesua Etom

 

Etomi

Anybody watching the love scene in the movie, ‘The Arbitration,’ where OC Ukeje and Adesua Etomi kissed passionately, the person might think the two actually have something going on between them in reality.

But in a chat with Saturday Beats, the award-winning actress said  it wasn’t a big deal and she wasn’t aroused in any way while she was kissing OC.

“I am a blank canvass and at the end of the day, what is most imperative to me is the story. That kiss was important in the story because it is part of the dealings in ‘The Arbitration.’ As long as you keep in mind that it is always about the story, it is never about me. I am a human being but I am also a trained actress, I have been doing this since 2004. I was not moved when I kissed OC Ukeje. Kissing in a movie is not the same as kissing in real life,” she said.

The screen diva told Saturday Beats that it was easy to build chemistry with OC Ukeje because they have been friends for a long time.

She said, “It is just that we have not worked together before, OC is my friend. Even if that was not the case, when you have two actors that understand that the work is more important than them, you will get a good film. At the end of the day, it is about the characters and making their relationship as believable as possible. The audience has to see the relationship and feel it as well.”

Beyonce dominates MTV awards

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 28: Beyonce accepts the Best Female Video award presented by Madison Kocian, Aly Raisman, and Simone Biles onstage during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards at Madison Square Garden on August 28, 2016 in New York City. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images/AFP

Beyonce on Sunday dominated the MTV Video Music Awards as she won a near-record award haul and awed the audience with a fiery dance medley with an unstated political message.

The pop superstar won Video of the Year for “Formation,” the most controversial work of her career, as she took home eight of the 11 awards for which she was nominated.

“Formation,” the first single off her intertwined film and album “Lemonade,” was shot in New Orleans and inspired by the city’s Creole culture, its bounce hip-hop scene and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“I dedicate this award to the people of New Orleans. God bless you guys,” Beyonce told the gala at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

Beyonce stole the spotlight by performing for more than 16 minutes songs from “Lemonade,” managing even to change outfits in a set that culminated in the stage erupting in fire.

In one of the most striking moments, a series of gun-shots rang out as her dancers, in angelic white dresses, each dropped to the ground in a red fog.

The video for “Formation,” directed by Melina Matsoukas, had offered solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement against police brutality with officers portrayed raising their hands as if under arrest.

Beyonce invited to the show, broadcast to more than 120 countries, the mothers of four young African American men whose deaths have galvanized the United States — Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant and Trayvon Martin.

Martin, 17, was killed in 2012 by a white neighborhood guard, a catalyst moment for Black Lives Matter. Brown, Garner and Grant were all killed by law enforcement.

Singer Alicia Keys offered another of the night’s powerful moments as she recited a poem inspired by civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. who delivered his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington 53 years ago Sunday.

In a year marred by global conflict and a bitter US presidential race, Keys, moving seamlessly from spoken word to a cappella, said: “If war is holy and sex is obscene, then we got it twisted in this lucid dream.”

“Maybe we can love somebody / instead of polishing the bombs of holy war.”

– Kanye talks Kanye –

At eight awards, Beyonce tied her contemporary Lady Gaga and Norway’s a-ha- a sensation in MTV’s early years — for the second biggest win in a single night.

Peter Gabriel retains the record, set in 1987 after his animation-driven “Sledgehammer.”

In one of the night’s most anticipated moments, rap superstar Kanye West — who last year used the occasion to declare his intention to run for president in 2020 — delivered a nearly stream-of-consciousness speech about empowerment.

As the audience chanted his stage-name Yeezy, West likened his creative talent to that of Apple founder Steve Jobs and entertainment pioneer Walt Disney, and said that unnamed wealthy white people had warned him not to make the comparison.

He defended his “Famous,” also up for Video of the Year, which depicted clean-cut pop star Taylor Swift naked in bed with him despite her complaints about the song.

Also seen naked with West in the video are Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, known for his hardline anti-immigration stance, and fashion editor Anna Wintour.

“We came over in the same boat. Now we all in the same bed,” West said, before clarifying that the on-screen lovers arrived on “maybe different boats.”

West then presented a racy new video for his song “Fade” featuring actress and singer Teyana Taylor, who moved her body sensually in a gym before a steamy shower scene.

The video marked a theme in the evening, if accidental, of sexualized exercise.

Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj received roars of crowd approval for a sensual take on a workout, with the pop singer and rapper dancing together in a stage transformed into a gym full of highly physical young men.

– Drake smitten with Rihanna –

Drake won in the rap category for “Hotline Bling,” one of the most popular songs of the year.

But Drake did not appear to accept the award. According to the presenter, rap icon Puff Daddy, the Toronto star got stuck in New York traffic.

Drake however did show up to present the Video Vanguard Award — named after late King of Pop Michael Jackson — to Rihanna, in recognition to her contributions to pop culture.

Drake gushed that Rihanna was “someone I’ve been in love with since I was 22.”

The 28-year-old Rihanna put on four medleys of her songs throughout the show in outfits that began with a snug white T-shirt.

In an acceptance speech, Rihanna pledged never to forget her native Barbados.

 

US player Serena Williams reacts while playing Russia's Elena Vesnina during their women's semi-final match on the eleventh day of the 2016 Wimbledon Championships.. AFP

Serena Williams retains top spot in the WTA world rankings Monday heading into the US Open with Angelique Kerber snapping at her heals.

The top 10 in the rankings remains unchanged but Kerber, just 190 points behind the American, is hoping to alter that at the last grand slam of the season starting in New York.

Kerber had a chance earlier this month to unseat Williams at the Cincinnati Open but lost in a shock final defeat to Czech Karolina Pliskova.

WTA rankings

 

1. Serena Williams (USA) 7,050 pts

2. Angelique Kerber (GER) 6,860

3. Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) 5,830

4. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 5,705

5. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,151

6. Venus Williams (USA) 4,005

7. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 3,551

8. Roberta Vinci (ITA) 3,465

9. Madison Keys (USA) 3,286

10. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) 3,190

11. Karolína Plíšková (CZE) 3,135

12. Carla Suárez (ESP) 3,100

13. Dominika Cibulková (SVK) 3,100

14. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,905

15. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) 2,713 (+1)

16. Petra Kvitová (CZE) 2,580 (-1)

17. Samantha Stosur (AUS) 2,370

18. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 2,195

19. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 2,101 (+4)

20. Elena Vesnina (RUS) 2,054

Floods, windstorm wreak havoc in Lagos,Ogun and Sokoto

 

Samson Folarin and Afeez Hanafi

Thousands of Lagos and Ogun residents have been displaced and property estimated at billions of naira destroyed after downpours on Saturday and Sunday left many streets and homes flooded.

PUNCH Metro learnt that many Christians could not hold their Sunday service as their churches were flooded.

A heavy windstorm in Tundun Yan-Dogo village of Dange-Shuni Local Government Area of Sokoto on Saturday also destroyed filling stations, cars and uprooted some poles in the community.

Our correspondents gathered that the worst hit in Lagos were residents of Oworonshoki, Bariga, Ketu, Ikorodu, Lekki areas, while more than 50 houses were affected in the Ita Oluwo area of Ogun State alone.

A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Alapere, Ketu, Lagos, Pastor Bola Bolawole, told one of our correspondents that he could not hold church service due to the situation, adding that three of his members were trapped in the floods.

He said, “We could not access our church on Sunday even as of 2pm. The road was completely flooded and we were covered up in water to the waist level. We had to stand by a shop to hold the service, but the rain still drove us away from the place.

“After that, I went on visitation to some of my members and I saw many of them scooping out water from their homes. You can’t go to some parts of the community right now. Water has completely taken over Bakare and Oriola streets and other parts of Alapere. Televisions and fridges were submerged by the floods. Many people have been cut off from their homes.”

Bolawale explained that some residents were afraid that if it poured again, some of the buildings could collapse, calling for urgent government intervention.

A resident of Bariga, Bolatito Ibiyemi, said some parts of the community were not accessible due to the floods.

She said, “The rain has been intense. Places like Oko Oba, Amodu and Arobadade streets and Ilaje Road, have been rendered completely impassable. A church in Ayedun Street was flooded and the members could not hold their service.”

The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Michael Akindele, said the agency received distress calls from residents of Oworonshoki, Ifako, Ikorodu and Lekki areas.

He said, “Several property and items worth millions of naira were damaged, but no life was lost.  The affected streets around the Oworonshoki area include Fasasi Ojomu, Ogunyomi,   Abiola, Akewusola, Adebanmwo, Unity, Oduduwa and Agberin streets, among others, while Hassan Street in Owutu and some other streets were affected in the Ikorodu area.

“LASEMA’s Emergency Response Team was dispatched for the assessment of the affected areas to avert further disaster. The flood was exacerbated by blockages of some of the major drainages in the affected areas.”

The Lagos State Government has, however, called for calm among residents, saying necessary steps are being taken to avert flood disaster in the state.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare, in a statement on Sunday, explained that the state government had carried out a tour of some of the flood-prone communities to clear up blocked drainages and canals.

He warned that the government would no longer tolerate the building of illegal structures along drainage paths in the state.

He urged residents living on wetlands and flood-prone areas to relocate.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 200 residents were displaced after floods took over about 50 houses on Unity Estate in the Ita Oluwo area of Ogun State.

It was learnt that the estate was submerged around 12pm on Sunday after the fence of InoPlast – a nylon producing company in the area – collapsed.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the fence served as a barrier, which prevented water coming from Ogijo, a neighbouring community, from flooding the estate.

A lot of valuables were said to have been trapped in the floods as most of the dwellers had gone to church when the rain started.

The Chairman, Community Development Association, Mr. Femi Abolude, said 50 houses were affected by the floods.

He said, “This incident first happened about two years ago when the company’s fence fell. We reported the situation at the state governor’s office and the fence was reconstructed. But we queried the quality of the fence and after some time, water started streaming under it. The same fence fell again today (Sunday). The whole community was affected and about 50 houses were seriously flooded.”

Another resident, Paul Idogu, a lawyer, said all his credentials and property were destroyed by the floods and called for a quick intervention from the state government.

He said, “When I woke up around 12pm, I saw floods entering into my house. I was totally helpless. All my credentials and documents were submerged by water. We went to the company but none of the officials came out to speak with us. The police officers we met there told us to come back on Monday.

“When the fence fell two years ago, the company assured us that they would build a stronger one. But what they did was shabby. We wrote them while they were constructing the fence that it was not strong enough, but they didn’t listen. The government should find a way to save the situation. Proper drainage should be constructed.”

A landlord, Cosmas Okoro, said, “All our property has been destroyed. I am just praying the house should not collapse because water is everywhere. I don’t know where to start from. It was my daughter who came to call me from the church. We are just hanging around now; we don’t know where to go to”

An engineer, Christopher Okoro, said he was only able to salvage his television, which was hung on the wall.

“All other valuables, including my laptop, clothes, my wife’s credentials, were destroyed. As I speak with you, I don’t know what to do; I am stranded,” he added.