Watch initiative deters highway robberies

By MAJELEEN YANEI
THE East Sepik inland highway, a hotspot for holdups, reported no incidents during the Christmas-New Year period, thanks to a community watch initiative.
Waragom ward councillor Kasin Owelim said the Waragom-Balif section of the highway for the first time recorded no holdup or armed robbery after the killing of a Public Motor Vehicle driver in November.
He said youths were engaged to monitor the area and do a citizen’s arrest which limited the crime rate there.
Balanga ward councillor Robert Basihina said most times youths from his community, as well as the surrounding Albinama and Numangu villages, were blamed for holdups there.
“In an effort to address this, I appealed to the youths of the three villages to surrender all their weapons and they came forward and handed everything on Friday,” Basihina said.
He said the entire Balanga community and half of Albinama and Numangu youths surrendered bush knives, home-made guns, wire catapults and promised not to be involved in any criminal acts.
“Youths from the three villages were told to work with the Waragom community to monitor, identify and do citizen’s arrest of criminals.
Basihina pointed out that over the years, criminal activities had painted a bad picture on the communities there and appreciated any positive move.