Rivers
Rivers Police Burst Robbers’ Camp …Neutralise Cult Leader
In a major breakthrough, the Rivers State Police Command has successfully apprehended a suspected notorious armed robber and cult leader, Silas Oderereke, in Oderereke, in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of the State.
Oderereke, also known as “General”, had been on the run for the past four years, evading arrest . However, his reign of terror came to an end when he resisted arrest and opened fire on the Police, resulting in his death after a shootout.
A statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Grace Iringe Koko, in Port Harcourt, Sunday, said General was the head of the Greenlanders’ cult group in the Ubie clan of Ahoada West.
The statement said General Oderereke and his gang were infamous for their criminal activities in the area, which included armed robbery, land grabbing, unauthorized sales of buildings, and brutal attacks on those who dared to oppose them.
“The cult leader would even order 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.
“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”, the PPRO stated.
She continued that “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 neighboring 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.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, congratulated the officers for their exceptional work. He issued a stern warning to cultists in the state, urging them to abandon their criminal activities and renounce cultism, or face the full weight of the law, and assured the residents of Rivers State that the Police Command, under his leadership, remains fully committed to maintaining peace and bolstering security in the state”.
Akujobi Amadi
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center .
The six lucky inmates granted pardon last Tuesday by the state Chief judge include Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 yrs to 7 yrs in the custody without a proper information filed against in the court .
Justice Amadi during a special goal delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center opined that the special goal delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the state and reinstated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional center and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that support rehabilitation and give second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council (NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduced the number of inmates Nigeria Correctional Centre Port Harcourt to less than two thousand as against the over four thousand inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him” as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encouraged you all the released inmates to return to your families and become a better citizens you must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison, let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absurd individuals from been held accountable for actions against individuals, cooperate organizations and state which the law frown at.”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charge and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Center Port Harcourt, FELIX LAWRENCE, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller general, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice SIMEON CHIBUZOR-AMADI for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Our correspondent reports that other activities lined up for the event include special church service at St Paul’s cathedral , Anglican communion Rebisi port harcourt , inspection of guard honour by the state chief judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session to be held at the ceremonial court hall on Thursday 17th October, 2024.
Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to check the trend of measles in the State, the Rivers state Government says it will be carrying out mass vaccination beginning from October 12th to 18th in the State.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh stated this in a press conference to announce the kick-off of the State Integrated Measles Mass Vaccination Campaign.
According to her, apart from the Mass vaccination, mop- up exercise will also be carried out between 19th and 20th October, 2024.
Oreh said the campaign is targeted at children between ages of nine months to under five years.
The commissioner who noted that measles are highly contagious, said the aim is to reach the children directly in their communities through schools and religious institutions.
She observed the downward trend in vaccination coverage in the state, hence she said,it is the urgency for the campaign.
“For 2024, the data that we have so far is 46 percent, last year, it was 67 percent, so you can see that it has reduced drastically.
“Measles are highly contagious disease, therefore , achieving high vaccination coverage is crucial for protecting our children, preventing outbreaks and ensuring their adequate growth and development”.
Oreh, noted that the government was concerned about the health of children of the state and the need to protect their future that’s why it is making the vaccines available.
“We are committed to making vaccination accessible to all children that are eligible by leveraging our community structures, using venues like schools and religious institutions.
“We aim to maximize the reach and convenience for parents and caregivers so that we leave no child behind and our goal is to push the current coverage rate significantly and protect our community’s youngest members against this killer disease known as measles,” she stated.
While noting that the government in collaboration with her development partners have mobilised sufficient manpower and personnel to carryout the campaign in urban and rural areas, the health commissioner appealed to parents and all stakeholders especially community leaders to encourage their children and wards to participate in the exercise.
Warning against complacency on the side of parents, Oreh, noted that there is the need to close the gap between the first childhood vaccination of the child and when they get to age nine months, saying, “Some families would feel that the child is sufficiently covered and that is why we are carrying out this robust campaign to inform them that even though the earlier childhood vaccinations had been given, it is crucial that this measles vaccines are given at the age of nine months to protect the children”.
She said aside those that would be going from house to house, schools and religious institutions to administer the vaccines, parents can also take their the children and wards to the primary healthcare centres in the state to get them vaccinated.
The Rivers people in diaspora have commended the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) for successful conduct of local government elections across the State.
The President of the group, Mr Churchill West Jack made the commendation in a press release made available to The Tide, stressing that the elections were fair and transparent.
He averred that the elections were described as the best local government elections in the State, and urged those who won to be magnanimous in victory.
“Warmest congratulations to the newly elected chairmen and councillors of our dear State. We sincerely thank the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission ( RSIEC ) for standing firm and conducting the fairest and most peaceful election in the history of our State.”
To our humble governor, a man of few words with so much action, who has continuously shown that God prepared him for this moment, to save the good people of our dear State from the hands of greedy men.” Finally, we want to say a big thank you to the Chief of Staff to the Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, the honourable speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, the Mayor of Port Harcourt, the chairman of Obio/Akpor, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, and many more for their doggedness, and resilience in fighting side by side with the governor to save the soul of the State.
God bless the governor and God bless the good people of Rivers State.”
Akujobi Amadi