Rivers State Police Command has successfully subdued a suspected armed robber and cult leader, Silas Oderereke, in Ahoada West Local Government Area, who, along with his gang members, had been involved in criminal activities in communities.
This was confirmed by the command’s spokeswoman, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, on Sunday, January 14.
Thenewsbearer gathered that Oderereke, also known as ‘General,’ had been on the run for the past four years, evading arrest .
His reign of terror however came to an end when he resisted arrest and opened fire on the police, resulting in his death.
It was further learnt that as the head of the Greenlanders’ cult group in the Ubie clan of Ahoada West, Oderereke and his gang were infamous for their alleged criminal activities which included armed robbery, land grabbing, unauthorised sales of buildings and brutal attacks on those who dared to oppose them.
According to the PPRO, the cult leader was also ordering the destruction of houses in communities that resisted his criminal enterprises.
“On January 11, 2024, the police received information about Oderereke’s gang’s robbery operation, which also involved vandalizing the property of the late monarch, Eze Robinson O. Robinson.
“Responding swiftly, the police chased the criminals out of town. However, the defiant ‘General’ rallied his gang and launched an attack on a community-owned tank farm in Oderereke, intending to loot its contents.
“It was during this sabotage attempt that the police managed to apprehend the gang,” the PPRO disclosed.
She stated further: “Silas Oderereke and one other member of his gang opened fire on the police team, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
“In the shootout, Oderereke and his accomplice were neutralized while others sustained injuries. Two other clan leaders, Danger-boy and 2-Man, who frequently collaborated with Oderereke, managed to escape and are currently at large.
“Upon searching the gang’s hideout, the police discovered a G3 rifle and 19 7.62x51mm ammunition. Further investigations uncovered a camp Oderereke had established between Oderereke and Olokuma Communities.
“This camp served as a base for the cult leader and his numerous followers, from where they launched robbery attacks on innocent members of neighbouring communities.”
As the news of Oderereke’s neutralisation spread, the affected communities reportedly expressed joy and relief as they shared accounts of residents who had relocated to Port Harcourt due to the mayhem caused by the cult group.
The Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who praised the command’s officers for their exceptional work, issued a stern warning to cultists in the state to abandon their criminal activities and renounce cultism or face the full weight of the law.
CP Disu assured the state residents of the police command’s commitment to maintaining peace and bolstering security in the state under his leadership.
