AMNESTY PROGRAMME: FG sets up panel to probe looting of training equipment in Bayelsa

The Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Professor Charles Dokubo, has inaugurated a six-man special investigative panel to probe the invasion and looting of training equipment at its vocational centre in Kaima, Bayelsa State.

A multi-billion naira Vocational Training Centre in Boro Town, Kaima, Bayelsa State, built by PAP, was on February 13, 2019, vandalized and looted by unknown persons.

While inaugurating the panel on Monday in Abuja, Dokubo said that the investigative team chaired by retired Brig-Gen. Sotunde Songonuga, would ascertain among others the remote and immediate cause of the looting.

The panel has been given seven working days to complete and submit its report.

Speaking on the attack on the centre, Dokubo said on the eve of its commissioning, in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa, unknown persons overpowered security personnel guarding the centre, carting away all movable government assets in the facility.

He said preliminary findings showed that items looted included assortments of equipment procured and already installed in the centre for seamless training of ex-agitators enlisted in the programme.

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Training enlisted for ex-agitators and other youths in the Niger Delta were carpentry, hotel and catering management, tailoring, shoemaking, welding and fabrication, event planning, decoration and hairdressing.

“Our initial findings also revealed that post-training empowerment start-up packs warehoused in sections of the vocational training centre in Kaima were completely looted by these persons.

“The plunderers even proceeded to thoroughly vandalise the completed lecture halls, administrative block and other structures in the centre.

Earlier reports had by some eyewitnesses, suggested that the looting started when the residents noticed that some of the pieces of equipment in the building were being moved elsewhere in trucks to unknown destinations by officials of the amnesty office, prompting a revolt and the consequent invasion of the facility.

It was gathered that those, who came late in the night after the daylight invasion, were said to have removed toilet seats inside the hostels, window frames, doors and other valuables.

Another report said the rumour around the town was that the pieces of equipment were to be given to supporters of a particular political party, a development that made the people to invade the premises.

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