By peace Udugba
Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has ordered a comprehensive crackdown on criminal networks following the interception of a cache of sophisticated weapons by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Asaba.
The governor issued the directive on Monday during a visit to the Delta State Command of the DSS, commending the agency for what he described as a major breakthrough in the state’s ongoing fight against insecurity.
“I am very delighted to be here today. I had to leave another important engagement because the breakthrough recorded by our security agencies is highly commendable and significant to the peace and safety of our state,” Oborevwori stated.
He praised the DSS and other security agencies for their strategic intelligence, coordination, and determination, which led to the recovery of the arms. He noted that the achievement reflected Delta State’s strong commitment to public safety.
The governor reiterated that his administration would not tolerate insecurity or lawlessness, especially in Warri and its environs.
Those planning to cause crisis should have a rethink. We want peace, not trouble. We are working tirelessly to open up Warri for investors and economic growth, but where there is violence, investors will stay away,” he cautioned.
He warned that anyone involved in killings, violence, or arms smuggling would be tracked down and prosecuted, reaffirming Delta’s status as a peaceful and investor-friendly state.
“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 circumstance,” the governor emphasized, urging residents to cooperate with security agencies to keep the state safe
Ifemeje revealed that the suspects were part of a smuggling network trafficking small arms and light weapons from Sebha in southern Libya, through Chad, and into Nigeria via an illegal border in Gidam, Yobe State.
“During interrogation, the prime suspect confessed to having spent eight years in the illicit arms trade and admitted to supplying over 55 weapons—including GPMGs and AK-47 rifles—across the country,” Ifemeje said.
Recovered items included:
– 7 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs)
– Several AK-47 rifles
– 5 hand grenades
– Other military-grade weapons concealed in bags of beans transported from the North to the Oko Food Market along the Asaba–Onitsha Expressway.
Additionally, the DSS uncovered 497 cartons of fake drugs meant for distribution in the state.
Ifemeje assured the governor of the DSS’s continued vigilance and commitment to disrupting arms supply chains and dismantling criminal networks in Delta.
On the killing of Jerry Aduara, an indigene of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom and two-time chairman of the Odion Urhobo Youth Council as well as a member of the Warri South Local Government Peace Committee, Governor Oborevwori said:
*“I have directed security agencies to arrest the person who shot and killed someone in Warri. They should track him down and bring him to justice, including anyone backing him. No one involved will go scot-free because this is Delta State, and we want peace,”* he declared.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining peace and ensuring that no individual or group takes the law into their own hands, emphasizing Delta’s focus on unity, development, and security.
Earlier, the Deputy Director of Operations, DSS Delta Command, Mr. Anthony Ifemeje, briefed the governor on the intelligence-led operation that led to key arrests.
According to him, the October 12, 2025 operation in Asaba resulted in the capture of a notorious arms dealer, Stephen Sabo Atoshi, and his accomplice—a 40-year-old secondary school teacher from Taraba State.
