Rugged terrain hampers op

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
MADANG police, who are at Nayudu’s Nankina Valley in Rai Coast, Madang, have gathered information on the whereabouts of a criminal cult group but cannot make it to those villages because of rugged terrains.
Madang police commander acting Supt Mazuc Rubiang said police could trek there, but it would take hours to reach the location.
He said they had established contact with the people in the village and the villagers had provided information to the police and revealed that the group had been kidnapping people, hiding them in their cult house and demanding money and valuable items from their families.
Acting Supt Rubiang said hostages whose family met the group’s demands were freed while those whose families did not were murdered.
He said the group was made up of men of different ages. “The offences that the cult group committed are very serious such as rape, arson, murder, kidnapping, torturing, extortion and many other offences,” acting Supt Rubiang said.
“I need support from the leaders in the province and from the above ranks to assist me so we can save innocent people who are becoming victims of cult groups.”
He said police were at Meibu village – one of the locations where they could access mobile network to keep him updated of what was happening in the valley.
Acting Supt Rubiang, who was with his officers and were airlifted from Saidor Station to Meibu, met with the leaders in the village.
He said the leaders were told to help the police.
Acting Supt Rubiang said Meibu villagers were relieved to see the police because they said their village was the next target for the cult groups who were planning to attack.