Amid the violence in East Sepik Province, and ongoing police investigations into the mass killings in Angoram district, the police command post has been changed again.
This morning, Monday, August 5th, the acting Provincial Police Commander Senior Inspector James Baugen officially handed over the PPC Responsibility for East Sepik Command to Superintendent Christopher Tamari at the provincial police command headquarters in Wewak.
This follows a directive from the Commander of Boarder Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Perou N’Dranou to recall Supt. Tamari to immediately resume duties as head of police operations in the province.
In a statement, ACP N’Dranou said, “The officers are senior officers in the constabulary, and I hope they do the right thing that will serve the interest of the people of East Sepik and the police officers working in the command.”
“The instruction is very clear, and I had directed the two senior officers to do the best thing for the interest of the Sepik people.”
Superintendent Tamari was recently posted to take up the post of Provincial Police Commander in Hela but was recalled as the Provincial commander for East Sepik.
ACP N`Dranou said during his absence SIP James Baugen had been called in to look after the command which he did, but with the increasing law and order issues in all the six districts of the province and the recent massacre in Angoram, the police hierarchy in the command must organize to work as a team to fight crime in the province and the command as a whole.
“I want to thank SIP James Baugen for his leadership role in looking after the provincial command when when he was directed to be the acting PPC to East Sepik command.”
“You had been serving in the province most of your policing career and you know the province inside out, so I want you to support PPC Tamari to maintain command and control and help fight crime in the province.”
Meantime, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird in a statement assured his provincial government and the Angoram District Development Authority’s support for police operations as investigations continue into the mass killings, which has reportedly left 26 dead, homes destroyed, and many mothers and children displaced.