The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the death of two suspected cultists who were involved in a deadly attack on the Odiemerenyi community in Ahoada-East Local Government Area on Sunday.
The cultists, who were loyal to a wanted cult leader, Gift Okpara, also known as 2Baba, had allegedly killed five innocent residents of the community in cold blood before the arrival of the police.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, on Monday, the operatives engaged the cultists in a gun battle and fatally wounded two of them, while the others escaped.
She said they recovered two locally made pistols, one pump action gun, one AK-47 rifle, and some ammunition from the scene.
She also said the Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, has ordered the intensification of efforts to arrest the fleeing 2Baba and his gang members, who have been terrorizing the area for a long time.
She assured the residents of Ahoada-East communities of adequate security and urged them to cooperate with the operatives by providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of the criminals.
She also appealed to the public to report any suspicious persons or movements to the nearest police station or call the emergency numbers: 08032003514, 08028915462, and 08182157778.
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The state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had earlier placed a bounty of N101 million on the head of 2Baba, who is linked to several killings in the state, including the murder of SP Bako Angbashim, the late Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada-East Local Government Area.