Fiji, April 20 -- Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape's government is under fire, with Opposition leader James Nomane alleging the Defence Force is being undermined and calling for urgent legal action over a growing scandal.

Nomane accused the Prime Minister of misleading the public and protecting political allies.

"Papua New Guinea's Defence Force is being dismantled from within by a Prime Minister who lies, covers up, and rewards those who should be dismissed. This deliberate deception at the highest level of government has now been exposed," he said in a statement on social media.

He claimed the Prime Minister misrepresented actions taken against a senior minister.

"Prime Minister Marape told Papua New Guineans he had side...