Police Kill Two Cult Leaders In Rivers, Recover arms

A wanted cult leader, Silas Oderereke, and his accomplice were killed during a shootout at the Oderereke community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers state, according to the Rivers State Police command.

Oderereke, also referred to as “general,” is the head of the Greenlander cult group in the Ubie tribe of Ahoada West, and according to the command, he has been evading capture for the last four years.

Naija News reports that the two renegades’ deaths were confirmed by the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko in a statement released in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

The police spokesperson detailed that the notorious cult leader and his accomplices were involved in a series of crimes including land grabbing, unauthorized sales of buildings,  among other crimes.

The statement by the Police spokesperson read, “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.

“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 neutralised 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 nineteen 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.

“The affected communities expressed their relief and shared accounts of residents who had relocated to Port Harcourt due to the mayhem caused by the cult group.”