Western Highlands 2022 Election Operations Commander Superintendent John Sagom said a Police investigation team has been dispatched to investigate and arrest suspects involved in the oil spill at the Kagamuga airport tarmac in the Western Highlands Province. Commander Sagom confirmed that suspects entered the Kagamuga airport in the early hours of Tuesday morning and spilled oil on the airport tarmac causing airline operators to suspend all flights into and out of Mt Hagen. Mr Sagom strongly condemned the act saying it is an act of “terrorism” and vowed to investigate the incident thoroughly and arrest those involved. “This is an act of terrorism. We will get to the bottom of this. I’m calling on the general public to come forward with any information that will assist the police arrest and charge those who are responsible for this act of terrorism. “Let me remind the people of Western Highlands of the wider implications of what has happened here. The rest of Western Highlands, the highlands and PNG is bigger than Mt Hagen. Leaders have to be sensible and responsible. What is happening in Mt Hagen does not speak well for the local leadership if they are going to resort to such acts of terrorism, threats, force and intimidation to have it their way,” Mr Sagom said. There was also heavy police and Defence Force presence mounted around the airport vicinity and within the Mt Hagen township area. Superintendent Sagom said there was a brief moment of concern in Mt Hagen town on Wednesday morning but that was contained by swift response from the Police and PNG Defence Force personnel on the ground. Commander Sagom said a group of disgruntled members of the community living around the Kagamuga airport area staged a peaceful protest march to Kagamuga airport whilst another group staged a protest march in Newtown along the Okuk Highway, blocking off commuters traveling into Mt Hagen town from the upper highlands. The protesters aired their grievances over the appointment and handling of the Mt Hagen Open Returning Officer’s (RO) post. Commander Sagom called on the leaders respect the democratic election process to take place and further appealed to them to take control of the situation and work with the security forces to ensure such acts of terrorism does not occur again.