PORT MORESBY 1 (THE NATIONAL) — Papua New Guinea Police have launched a massive manhunt for a notorious cult group that has been terrorising villagers in Rai Coast’s Nayudo local level government (LLG) for the past few weeks.
The cult members are wanted for kidnappings, murders and robberies.
The manhunt is led by Madang commander acting Supt Mazuc Rubiang who was flown there in a helicopter with about 20 men on Sunday.
After assessing the security situation and gathering intelligence from villagers on the whereabouts of the cult members, acting Supt Rubing called in for assistance from his Northern counterparts who arrived Tuesday.
Northern ACP Peter Guinness said the Manalos Aviation had volunteered to help police in Lae to airlift 10 armed men from the Northern Mobile Group to Mibu village to join their Madang counterparts in the manhunt.
“I am pleased with the assistance from the aviation company who had been helping the rural folk and the police whenever needed,” Guinness said.
“The operation has started and the people in the village are cooperating and helping the policemen on the ground with whatever information that can lead to arrest of the cult members.
“I want to thank Manalos Aviation and the New Tribes Missionaries who funded the trip for the officers to be airlifted to Mibu village.
“The response to support the people of Madang, especially the Nayudo LLG, is something I am thankful of.
“Leaders in Madang and the police hierarchy must support the villagers who need help now.
“This is the first time they are appealing for help and we must respond swiftly,” he added.
ACP Guinness said Rai Coast and Madang leaders must also assist because the victims of the cult group were their people.
“The government must respond and rescue the villagers from the cult group who had been terrorising them for weeks in Nankina Valley.
“Police service must also reach the people in the rural areas so that they know the Government is concern about them.
“Mibu villagers were happy when they saw the policemen landing in a chopper to help them from the cult group who had been targeting them. It will take the police manhunt team five to six hours to trek from one location to another to hunt down the cult members.
“It will be a long and tiring operation but we have to do it.
“That is why we have asked for the services of choppers to move from one village to another because of the extreme or rugged terrain.
“The policemen and officers will move in after they have gathered and analysed the intelligence, and get themselves organised for the hunt,” he added.
Acting Supt Rubiang also raised concern that their communication with the Rai Coast district development administration (DDA) was not as what they had expected of them.
“The leaders of each ward in Nayudo LLG, the Rai Coast DDA and the Madang provincial government must help the police on the ground,” acting Supt Rubiang said.
“We must not deny the people their right to police services.
“My men will be working but we need their support because of the geographical setting of the locations.
“The cult group will take advantage of that and will continue to harm the people there.
“We are doing well and we hope to see some good results from this operation in the valley,” acting Supt Rubiang said…. PACNEWS