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Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has ordered an intensive crackdown on criminal networks after operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) intercepted a cache of sophisticated weapons in Asaba.

The governor, who visited the DSS Command headquarters in Asaba on Monday, described the interception as a major breakthrough in the state’s ongoing efforts to combat insecurity.

“I am very delighted to be here today. I had to leave another important engagement to be here because the breakthrough recorded by our security agencies is highly commendable and significant to the peace and safety of our state,” Oborevwori said.

Commending the DSS for its intelligence and coordination, the governor said the successful recovery of the arms reinforced Delta’s unwavering commitment to public safety and peace.

Oborevwori warned that his administration would not condone any form of criminality or unrest, 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 vowed that anyone involved in killings, violence, or arms trafficking would be hunted down and prosecuted, adding that Delta would remain peaceful and investor-friendly.

“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,” he warned, urging residents to support security agencies in their peacekeeping efforts.

The governor also condemned the recent killing of Mr. Jerry Aduara, a respected Warri youth leader and member of the Warri South Peace Committee.

“I have directed security agencies to arrest the person who shot and killed somebody in Warri. They should look for that person and bring him to book, including those backing him. Nobody involved will go scot-free because this is Delta State, and we want peace,” he declared.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to peace, unity, and development, Oborevwori emphasized that no one would be allowed to take the law into their own hands.

Earlier, the Deputy Director of Operations of the DSS in Delta, Mr. Anthony Ifemeje, briefed the governor on the intelligence-led operation that led to the interception.

He revealed that the operation, conducted on October 12, 2025, in Asaba, led to the arrest of a notorious arms dealer, Stephen Sabo Atoshi, and his accomplice, a 40-year-old secondary school teacher from Taraba State.

According to the DSS, the suspects were members of a transnational arms trafficking network moving 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 eight years in the illegal trade and to having supplied over 55 weapons, including General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs) and AK-47 rifles, across the country,” Ifemeje said.

Recovered items included seven GPMGs, several AK-47 rifles, five hand grenades, and other military-grade weapons, many concealed in bags of beans transported from the North to the Oko Food Market along the Asaba–Onitsha Expressway.

The DSS also seized 497 cartons of fake drugs meant for distribution within the state.

Ifemeje assured the governor of the command’s continued vigilance and readiness to dismantle criminal supply chains and protect Delta from the infiltration of arms traffickers.