Nine students from Nawaeb Lutheran Secondary School are recovering at Angau Hospital in Lae after a brutal attack at their dormitory last night. The incident has sparked outrage and raised serious safety concerns within the community.
The attack happened as the girls were preparing for night study in their dormitory. A group of between eight to ten masked men stormed the building, assaulting the students with bush knives before escaping. While five of the girls are in stable condition, two remain critical at Angau Hospital.
“They pulled out all the phones that were plugged in,” a female student who accompanied the other girls to the hospital said. Then, when we tried to run out, they closed the door and started cutting the girls.”
“A total of nine Students were brought to the Emergency Department at midnight on the 5th of June,” Angu Hospital CEO, Dr. Kipas Binga said. This included eight females and one male students in Grades 9 and 11″.
All had bush knife wounds to their limbs and upper bodies. One female student suffered a “depressed skull fracture” but is “stable awaiting surgical review.
Morobe’s Provincial Police Commander, Jacob Singura said police are on sight and he has issued orders for the criminals to be handed over by the community.
“We want to make sure there is rule of law and it must be respected.”
The incident has prompted Morobe’s political leaders to condemn the violence.
“The perpetrators of this heinous act will not escape justice. The law will catch up with them, and they will face severe consequences,” Nawaeb MP, Theo Pelgen said.
He commended the quick actions of the school principal and police, who ensured the injured students received urgent medical care in Lae.
School principal, Besi Simongi, reported that the criminals had already fled by the time staff were alerted. He is now working with police to identify those responsible. At this stage, the identity of the attackers remains unclear. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, prompting calls for increased vigilance and support to identify the perpetrators.
