Fiji Alert: Armed soldiers raid NLTB office

Update: 12.55PM Armed soldiers have raided the Suva offices of the Native Land Trust Board the body entrusted with managing native land on behalf of indigenous landowners.

Witnesses say a group arrived shortly after midday and entered the boards offices, which also houses some Fijian Affairs Ministry staff.

It's understood soldiers, numbering less than ten, entered the two offices and started looking for documents. It's not known what documents the soldiers were after or whether any documents were removed.

Armed guards have been posted outside the NLTB building.

Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni could not be contacted for comments on the raid.

Attempts to get comments from NLTB chief executive Kalivati Bakani were futile. Staff in his office said he was on leave.

This is the latest in a series of raids carried out by the military in Suva and the West.

Its understood the raid has to do with the Pacific Connex joint venture NLTB has with millionaire Ballu Khan's company.

Pacific Connex's Suva office was raided last week while Khans Lautoka home was raided earlier this week and documents were removed.

Pacific Connex is one of two companies bidding for a licence to conduct mobile phone services in the country and take on Vodafones monopoly.