The Delta State Police Command has arrested a suspect for allegedly purchasing a prohibited firearm through social media, after he was found in possession of a Beretta pistol.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a video shared on Tuesday, where he displayed the recovered weapon and warned against the growing trend of illegal arms acquisition in the state.
Edafe said the suspect was found with a Beretta pistol, a magazine, and two rounds of 9mm ammunition, noting that such weapons are strictly restricted to authorised security agencies.
“This is a Beretta pistol, not even fabricated. It has the magazine and two 9mm ammunition,” he said.
The suspect, identified as Igbunu Evans from Sapele in Delta State, reportedly admitted during interrogation that he obtained the firearm through Snapchat.
According to him, the weapon was ordered “through Snapchat from a smoke vendor” and delivered after he paid ₦450,000.
He claimed the gun was intended for protection against “unknown gunmen or kidnappers,” but also confessed to involvement in internet fraud, which he said he had engaged in for about three to four years.
Reacting to the development, Edafe warned that the case highlights a dangerous link between cybercrime, cultism, drug abuse, and illegal arms possession.
He noted that such patterns show how one criminal activity can escalate into more serious offences.
“Internet fraud, cultism, abuse of illicit substances, and now gun possession show how one crime gives birth to another,” he said.
The police spokesperson emphasised that it is illegal for civilians to possess such firearms, adding that the Beretta pistol is classified as a prohibited weapon reserved strictly for security agencies.
He confirmed that the suspect is currently in custody and will be charged in court after investigations are concluded.
