Cordon around college

 Enga police have thrown a tight security ring around Wabag’s rehabilitated Sopas Nursing College and the Sopas Hospital as they seek to resolve an inter-tribal fight that broke out over the festive season.

Wabag police station commander Inspector Epenas Nili was confident police had the situation under control.

“Sopas hospital and the nursing college are safe and heavily-protected by my policemen. 

“Nothing will happen to these vital government services,” Nili said on Friday.

He said two clans living around the vicinity of the hospital and the nursing college had breached a preventive order and resumed fighting last month.

Nili said police would soon arrest the leaders behind the unrest.

As soon as fighting broke out, a mobile squad backed by regular policemen were deployed to monitor the situation and prevent damage to government property, he said.

Fighting between tribes in Enga usually resulted in government assets and private property being burned and food gardens destroyed.

Nili said he wanted to make sure the tribal fight did not spread into the grounds of the nursing college and the hospital.

“The people of Sopas must respect government property and services. Anyone trying to destroy government property will be severely dealt with,” Nili said.

 “The situation on the ground is under control. My policemen have taken control of the area. 

“The fight will be amicably solved. I am working around the clock to bring the leaders of the warring tribes to a round table discussion and solve this problem once and for all,” Nili said.

He said the operations of the college and hospital would not be affected.

The hospital and nursing college, once run by the Seventh Day Adventist church, was closed down due to ongoing tribal fighting in the area and were dormant for a decade.

Both establishments were recently renovated by the provincial administration and resumed operating.