Oborevwori Inspects Seized Weapons, Orders Crackdown on Gunrunners

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday, inspected a cache of sophisticated weapons intercepted by the Department of State Services (DSS), allegedly being transported to Warri to fuel the recent ethnic tension among the Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw ethnic nationalities in Warri Federal Constituency.

The weapons, concealed in a vehicle’s dashboard, were recovered from a suspected arms dealer and secondary school teacher from Taraba State, identified as Stephen Sabo Atoshi.

According to intelligence reports, Atoshi allegedly smuggled the weapons from Sebha in Southern Libya, through Chad, and into Nigeria via an illegal border in Gidam, Yobe State.

Among the seized items were seven General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs), several AK-47 rifles, five hand grenades, and other military-grade weapons.

Speaking after inspecting the seized cache, Governor Oborevwori expressed outrage, describing the discovery as a direct threat to peace and stability in the state.

“You can see the kind of weapons they brought to Delta State. Is it not madness? Who do you want to kill in Delta State? You want to destabilise this government? We can’t take it from any ethnic nationality never and never” he declared.

The governor ordered an immediate crackdown on criminal networks and their sponsors, commending the DSS for its strategic intelligence and coordination that led to the successful interception.

“The breakthrough recorded by our security agencies is highly commendable and significant to the peace and safety of our state,” he stated.

Oborevwori warned that his administration would not tolerate any acts of violence or arms trafficking, stressing that those responsible would be arrested and prosecuted.

“Bringing in heavy arms and ammunition of this nature is unacceptable and a direct threat to our collective peace. We will not allow it under any circumstances,” he said.

He also directed security operatives to arrest the killers of Mr. Jerry Aduara, a member of the Warri South Local Government Peace Committee, vowing that no one involved would go unpunished.

“I have directed security agencies to arrest the person who shot and killed somebody in Warri. They should bring him to book, including those backing him,” the governor added.

Briefing the governor, Mr. Anthony Ifemeje, Deputy Director of Operations, DSS Delta Command, said the operation, carried out on October 12, 2025, within the Asaba metropolis, led to the arrest of Atoshi and his accomplice, both from Taraba State.

He revealed that the suspects belonged to a network trafficking small arms and light weapons from Libya through Chad into Nigeria.

“During interrogation, the prime suspect confessed to having spent eight years in the illegal arms trade and to having supplied over 55 weapons, including GPMGs and AK-47 rifles, across the country,” Ifemeje disclosed.

He said some of the weapons were concealed in bags of beans transported from the North to the Oko Food Market along the Asaba–Onitsha Expressway, where they were intercepted.

The DSS also uncovered 497 cartons of counterfeit drugs intended for distribution within Delta State.

Ifemeje assured the governor that the command remained vigilant and resolute in cutting off illegal arms supply routes and dismantling criminal networks operating across the state.