Enga murders drop dramatically

The rate of murders in Enga Province have dropped from about 70 cases a month to just eight last month.

This is a dramatic decline, and is credited to the leadership of the Provincial Police Commander Chief Superintendent Steven Harris.

Harris, now five months into his posting, says the sharp fall in killings shows around 60 lives are being spared each month as police work closely with communities and leaders of warring tribes.

“When I started, there were four or five serious tribal fights happening at once. We developed strategies and implemented them quickly to stop the fighting," Harris said.

"Once it ended, we worked with community leaders to surrender suspects. In one district alone, seven murder suspects were handed over."

The commander’s approach, targeting clan leaders, enforcing court orders, and demanding accountability has dismantled ongoing tribal fights and reshaped community behaviour toward conflict resolution.

Despite progress, Harris acknowledged that illegal firearms remain a challenge.

“We know there are still weapons out there. People want to see others surrender first so they feel safe, and they want improved police performance to guarantee their security,” he said.

He reminded the people of Enga that police will not engage in mediation with criminals but will deal with tribal conflicts strictly under the laws of Papua New Guinea.