Wouwou wants police post between East, West Sepik

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WEST Sepik Governor Tony Wouwou is keen on having a police post between the Sepik provinces to prevent robbery of passengers travelling between the two provinces.
He was reacting to recent incidents involving people from his province who were attacked and robbed of personal items and money by criminals.
“This is not the first time my people have been robbed,” Wouwou said.
He condemned the attack and urged all leaders from both Sepik provinces to work together to address the issue of lawlessness along the main highway.
Two months ago, locals from Nuku were held up at Dreikikier (East Sepik), clothes stripped off and the women were almost raped.
On Monday, police reported another armed holdup at Wamarau (West Sepik) which saw two killed and another still fighting for his life at the main hospital in Wewak.
According to police, 16 suspects were on the run after the holdup that saw two passengers shot at point blank range in front of other passengers.
West Sepik police commander Chief Insp Moses Ibsagi said: “The passengers which included a Catholic priest and three teachers were on their way from Nuku in West Sepik to Maprik in East Sepik when the crew and passengers of the PMV from Yangoru were held up.’’
Chief Insp Ibsagi said the details of the armed robbery was sketchy but confirmed that the passengers were robbed of all their possessions.
Wouwou said the passengers were all travelling to Maprik for thier daily shopping and to sell vanilla.
He added that his people were involved in agricultural activities such as cocoa and vanilla, thus becoming targets of opportunists.
He said the driver was in police custody and was being questioned about the incident.
East Sepik police commander Supt Albert Beli said they were in Nuku to look for the suspects.

8 comments

  • OL STILMAN BLONG NAMBIS INO SAVE TUMAS LONG “LIMITS.”

    TAIM YU WOKIM RODBLOK LONG KISIM MONI OK KISIM MONI TASOL…INO GAT NEED LONG KATIM O KILIM MANMERI.

    KAM LANIM LONG OL RASKOL BLONG BARORA.

  • It’s so sad to see this thrend of robberies happening along main highways. what really saddens me is that poor farmers were trying to sell their vanilla to take back home for their families. what a sad state. i was deeply touched when i saw the victim on the photo shown. PLEASE my good brothers who are preying on those inoccent people, those people you attacked are our own people, our own contry men and women, they are no strangers to our land. please think first before you do such acts. God bless those victims and please law enforcing agencies, justice must be served. arrest the perpetrators and lock them up…. SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • The government is talking about linking all the highways or roads and railway leading into Port Moresby city.

    If the new highways and railways go ahead, are they going to be safe from roadblocks and sabotage of railways?

  • We need development. Connecting PNG is okay because there are vast areas in the country that need to be connected to stimulate economic activities. Otherwise, we remain underdeveloped forever. Services will come by connecting many parts of PNG. The solution I see to curb road blocks on major highways is to increase the number of police personnel to police major highways.

  • If this type of incident happens a lot on this highway, like the good Governor says, then why isn’t a police station or a control measure put in place to prevent re-occurrence.

    Reactive, reactive and not a single proactive approach. Lives should not be lost, if proactive approaches were taken in the first place.

  • Highway robberies and armed hold ups along various sections of the Highlands highways rarely involve unnecessary ambushing and killing people at point blank. It may be common only during tribal fighting and enemy attacks on Highlands highways.
    In this part of the country as reported, there have been many occasions since the early 90s where passengers are not just robbed but unnecessarily wounded and killed, stripped naked and forced to do indecent acts, etc. This is normally the work of heartless youths who are high on drugs and controlled by cult movements. Something serious needs to be done to curb such evilness as soon as possible.

    It’s high time Tony Wouwou’s call deserves greater attention and backing. More government effort has to be put in to support Supt. Beli and all other hardworking law enforcers in this region.
    May God Almighty bless, protect and heal those victims and change the notorious to be honest and better people in their communities.

  • Think of a solution: toktok planti nogat; Can Police fire arm division issue firearms to all registered PMV owners with terms & conditions so that they can help weed out some of does culprits…The current ratio of police personal against our population is outrages couple with logistics support and etc; police wont do much on time.

  • This is Belden Namah’s issue, best soup on the plate, take and digest see how you can handle this & next may be promoted to handle the one in Hela, & other parts of the nation……

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