About 3,000 thieves reportedly invaded the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Vocational Training Centre in Kaiama, Kolokuma/Opokuma Council of Bayelsa State between February 13 and 17, 2019.

The marauders were said to have looted training equipment for ex-agitators at the centre after overwhelming armed security deployed at the facility.Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of a special investigative panel to unravel those behind the theft of the multi-million naira equipment, PAP coordinator, Prof. Charles Dokubo, charged the six-member panel to “thoroughly unravel this mindless and dastardly looting of the PAP Vocational Training Centre with a view to bringing the perpetrators and their accomplices to book.”

Members of the panel are Brig.-Gen. Sotunde Songonuga (rtd.) as chairman, Unyime Eyo as secretary, Dodoye Arikpo from the Department of State Services (DSS), CSP Paddy Ogon, Ene Cynthia Ogbe, and a stakeholder, Reuben Wilson.The panel, which has seven days to submit its report, is saddled with a 13-point terms of reference, including ascertaining the immediate cause of the looting, identify persons connected with the incident and ascertain the exact items looted from the centre, among others.

Recounting the incident, Dokubo said the invaders overpowered security personnel at the centre, which was due for commissioning February 14, 2019.Initial findings, according to him, revealed that post-training empowerment start-up packs warehoused in sections of the facility were completely looted.

“The plunderers even proceeded to thoroughly vandalise the completed lecture halls, administration blocks and other structures at the centre.”Dokubo disclosed that the looting went on unabated for almost three days, including Thursday, February 14, the day slated for the commissioning and activation of the facility.

The centre will train the ex-agitators on carpentry, hotel and catering management, tailoring, shoemaking, welding and fabrication, event planning and decoration among others.