The Rivers State Police Command has announced the neutralization of a notorious armed robber and cult leader, Silas Oderereke, widely known as ‘General.’
Oderereke, who had been evading arrest for the past four years, was finally confronted and shot dead by the police during an operation.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, disclosed the details in a statement released on Sunday.
According to Iringe-Koko, Oderereke was the leader of the Greenlanders cult group in the Ubie clan of Ahoada-West, and his criminal activities ranged from armed robbery to land grabbing and the unauthorized sale of buildings.
The decisive operation unfolded on January 11 when the police received information about a planned robbery by Oderereke’s gang.
The police swiftly responded, chasing the criminals out of town. In retaliation, Oderereke and his gang launched an attack on a community-owned tank farm, intending to loot it. This led to a confrontation with the police, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
During the shootout, Oderereke and one of his accomplices were neutralized, while others sustained injuries. Two other leaders of the cult, identified as Danger Boy and 2-Man, managed to escape the scene. The police recovered a G3 rifle and 19 7.62x51mm ammunition from the gang’s hideout.
In addition to Oderereke’s camp, another location between Oderereke and Olokuma communities was discovered, serving as a base for launching robbery attacks on innocent victims in neighboring communities.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olatuni Disu, issued a stern warning to cultists, urging them to renounce cultism and criminal activities or face the full consequences of the law.
