Two feared dead, others injured as community loots amnesty complex

At least two persons were feared killed and many others injured at the weekend when community members broke into an office complex belonging to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in Kaiama, Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The invasion and raid were reportedly carried out by residents of Orubiri, a host community of the amnesty yard located in Boro town, which was named after the late Ijaw hero, Isaac Adaka Boro.

One of the invaders, said to have asthmatic condition, was reportedly choked to death in one of the warehouses, while a baby brought into the complex by a woman was said to have died during the stampede.

The Amnesty Office built the expansive yard comprising many blocks of storey buildings to act as a liaison office for coordination of amnesty issues in the Niger Delta, including storage and distribution of starter packs to beneficiaries.

But investigations showed that over 1,000 members of the host community invaded the complex, broke into the offices and looted equipment and starter packs worth billions of naira.

The invaders were said to have overpowered the soldiers stationed at the entrance, pushed down the gate and engaged in free-for-all stealing of items.

Efforts by the security operatives to stop them by shooting into the air were said to have proved abortive because of the high number of the invaders.

It was gathered that youths and women participated in the looting and ensured that equipment bought for persons trained for skills were carted away.

The marauders were said to have stolen everything, including air-conditioners, furniture and fittings and attempted to remove electric wires.

An employee of the Amnesty Office, who spoke in confidence, said the looting started last Tuesday, adding that the equipment carted away were meant for beneficiaries from impacted communities in other states.

He said PAP Coordinator Prof. Charles Dokubo inaugurated the distribution of the items in Port Harcourt, Rivers State; Warri, Delta State and Orubiri, the host community in Bayelsa State.

He said following the inauguration, about 500 beneficiaries of the host communities got their items without crisis.

“But we were surprised that the next day, youths and women from the same host communities, numbering over 1,000, assembled at the entrance of the complex and demanded their share of the items.

“We explained to them that the items were meant for impacted communities in various states. They didn’t listen. They rather insisted that the items must be given to them. Most of them started calling people from other communities and before we knew it, the entrance was filled up. The person in charge of the place tried to call for security reinforcement.

“Even when they came, there was nothing the security operatives could do. The people pulled down the gate and started looting the items in the warehouses. They engaged in the looting overnight till the next morning”, he said.