SUMMARY

The Akibu is a clan residing in Papua New Guinea’s Eastern Province, near the town Kainantu; they inhabited the villages Erapo, Kurupi, Ataia, Kagu, Moife and Kemeyu, which also serves as alternative names for the clan.

The livelihood of the Akibu is at least in part dependent on growing various crops, and keeping livestock. The clan reside in an inaccessible area, where law enforcement is hampered by the poor state of the road system; the Akibu do not respect the authority of the Papuan law enforcement agencies. The clan has access to advanced weapons normally used by the Papua New Guinea Defense Forces (PNGDF), which had either been stolen from the PNGDF, or smuggled from Bougainville during the conflict there.

It has not been possible to establish whether the Akibu has links to any other actors.