POLICE WARN OPPORTUNISTS ALONG OKUK HIGHWAY FOLLOWING STONING OF PMV BUSES
OPPORTUNISTS taking advantage of landslides, fallen trees, vehicle breakdowns and accidents along the Eastern Highlands section of the Highlands Highway to collect money on travelling public be warned.
Eastern Highlands Acting Provincial Police Commander Senior Inspector Josephine Kumai made this warning yesterday saying when “police catch up with you, we will deal with you.”
She said communities living along the Highway must take ownership of the road as a government asset.
This follows an incident along the Namura section of the Highway on Saturday February 14, 2026 around 1am-2am. She said several PMV buses were damaged and travelling public injured.
“Especially the section along Eastern highlands, they have caused a lot of inconvenience to the travelling public and the people of Eastern Highlands,” Kumai said.
“It’s a warning to our people that are living along the Okuk Highway. You have to take ownership of whatever is happening along the Highway, look after the public.”
Kumai said the attack occurred after a by-stander almost got hit by a bus that was leading a convoy from Lae to the Upper Highlands that’s when the community started stoning the buses.
“They threw stones on other buses that came after that resulted in the damage of buses and passengers sustaining injuries. The victims were transported back to Kainatu for treatment.
She said there was an ongoing tribal conflict in the area following an aviuall mining dispute along the section of the Highway.
he said police arrived later at the site while those seriously injured were assisted to the Kainantu Hospital to seek medical treatment. Police attended to the matter but no arrest has been made as yet.”
She added that they could not investigate and arrest suspects due to an ongoing tribal fight in the area. However, police are present in the area with the assistance from Mobile squad 14.
