The Delta State Police Command has arrested a suspect for allegedly acquiring a prohibited firearm through social media, in a case authorities say highlights the growing intersection between online platforms and criminal activity.
Police spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, who disclosed the arrest in a video shared on Tuesday, said operatives recovered a Beretta pistol from the suspect, alongside a magazine and two rounds of 9mm ammunition.
He warned that such weapons remain strictly restricted to authorised security agencies.
In the footage, Edafe displayed the recovered firearm and stressed its illegality in civilian possession, noting that the command would continue to clamp down on illegal arms circulation across the state.
The suspect, identified as Igbunu Evans from Sapele in Delta State, reportedly confessed during interrogation that he sourced the weapon via Snapchat, claiming he paid about N450,000 to have it delivered through an online contact he described as a “vendor.”
He further claimed the firearm was meant for self-defence against suspected armed robbers and kidnappers, but also admitted to being involved in internet fraud for several years.
Reacting to the development, Edafe linked the case to what he described as a dangerous chain of criminal behaviour, saying offences such as cyber fraud, cult-related activities, substance abuse and illegal arms possession often reinforce one another.
The police spokesperson maintained that the Beretta pistol is a prohibited weapon not permitted for civilian use under any guise, adding that the suspect remains in custody and will be prosecuted upon completion of investigations.