Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has ordered an intensified crackdown on criminal gangs and arms smugglers after the Department of State Services (DSS) intercepted a cache of sophisticated weapons in Asaba, the state capital.
The governor, visibly impressed by the DSS’s operation, described the discovery as a major security breakthrough and a strong signal that Delta will not be a safe haven for criminals.
“I had to leave another important engagement to be here because this achievement by our security agencies is significant to the peace and safety of our state,” Oborevwori said during his visit to the DSS Command Headquarters in Asaba.
He commended the DSS and other security agencies for their strategic coordination, intelligence gathering, and courage, adding that the seizure underscores Delta State’s zero-tolerance stance on insecurity.
The governor warned that his administration would deal decisively with anyone involved in violence, killings, or arms trafficking, especially in Warri and its environs.
“Those who plan to cause trouble should have a rethink. We want peace, not chaos. We are rebuilding Warri for investors, and violence will only drive development away,” he cautioned.
Oborevwori also directed security agencies to arrest the killer of Warri youth leader, Jerry Aduara, a respected community figure and peace advocate. He vowed that no one involved will go unpunished.
According to the DSS Deputy Director of Operations, Mr. Anthony Ifemeje, the intelligence-led operation on October 12, 2025, led to the arrest of a notorious arms dealer, Stephen Sabo Atoshi, and his accomplice, a 40-year-old teacher from Taraba State.
The suspects reportedly trafficked arms from Sebha, Libya, through Chad and into Nigeria via Yobe State, supplying over 55 weapons including GPMGs and AK-47 rifles nationwide.
Recovered items included seven GPMGs, several AK-47 rifles, five hand grenades, and 497 cartons of fake drugs, cleverly concealed in bags of beans headed for the Oko Food Market along the Asaba–Onitsha Expressway.
Ifemeje reaffirmed the DSS’s commitment to cutting off arms supply routes and dismantling criminal networks in Delta State.
Governor Oborevwori concluded by urging residents to cooperate with security operatives, pledging that his administration would sustain efforts to keep Delta peaceful, secure, and investor-friendly.