The Rivers State Police Command has killed two cultists during a shootout in Oderereke community, Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state.

Although other members of the gang escaped with gunshot wounds, one of the suspects caught identified as Silas Oderereke, aka ‘general,’ is a wanted notorious leader of the Greenlanders cult group in the Ubie clan in Ahoada West who had been on the run for four years, while the other is his accomplice.

Confirming the death of the duo in a statement in Port Harcourt on Sunday, the command’s public relations officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the notorious cult leader and his gang were involved in armed robbery, land grabbing, unauthorised sales of buildings, and brutal attacks on their victims.

The spokesperson in the statement said, “On January 11, 2024, the police received information about Oderereke’s gang’s robbery operation, which also involved vandalising 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.

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

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, warned cultists and other criminal gangs to stop crimes or be ready to face the law, vowing that the command would make the state unbearable for them until they were smoked out.