Boost for Hela police

National

Five hundred police officers will be sent to Hela to build up manpower and address law-and-order issues in the province, says Police Commissioner Gari Baki.
He said that since the election, eight people had been killed so far in three different tribal fights over land disputes.
“The State has already spent a lot of money on operations in Hela to address law-and-order issues,” Baki said.
“We have just come out of elections, so right now, I have tasked the provincial police commander to take charge of the situation.
“I am also working on sending in 500 police manpower into the province to bring stability.”
Baki said the 500 police officers would be stationed in Hela attached with provincial police.
“They will not be there in or under an operation,” he said.
“I am just sending in additional men to be stationed there to build police manpower.” Baki also said that he had already submitted a report to the National Security Association Council (NACS) on the situation in Hela.
In a separate incident, two police officers were attacked by locals on their way back to the Tari police barracks.
The two officers were cut on their arms and legs and were rushed to hospital.
Baki said that he was aware of the incident and that his officers were investigating.