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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Conflict & Security

Man arrested in Delta for buying gun via Snapchat

From The Punch · (1d ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Delta State Police arrested a suspect for allegedly purchasing a prohibited firearm, a Beretta pistol, via Snapchat.
  • The suspect, Igbunu Evans, admitted to ordering the gun through the social media platform and paying N450,000 for it, claiming it was for self-protection against unknown gunmen and kidnappers.
  • Police linked the incident to a broader trend of criminal activities, including internet fraud, and warned against the illegal acquisition of firearms, emphasizing that such weapons are restricted to security agencies.

The Delta State Police Command has apprehended a suspect, Igbunu Evans, in connection with the illicit purchase of a firearm through social media, highlighting a disturbing new avenue for criminal enterprises. The suspect was found in possession of a Beretta pistol, complete with a magazine and ammunition, which are strictly prohibited for civilian use.

This is a Beretta pistol, not even fabricated. It has the magazine and two 9mm ammunition.

— SP Bright EdafeDisplaying the recovered weapon and highlighting its prohibited nature.

According to SP Bright Edafe, the state's Police Public Relations Officer, Evans confessed to acquiring the weapon via Snapchat, a transaction that involved ordering the firearm from a "smoke vendor" and paying a sum of N450,000. This method of acquisition bypasses all legal channels and underscores the growing sophistication of criminal networks in leveraging online platforms for illegal activities.

I ordered it through Snapchat from a smoke vendor.

— Igbunu EvansAdmitting to the method of acquiring the firearm.

Evans claimed his motive for purchasing the firearm was for personal safety, citing concerns about unknown gunmen and kidnappers. However, his admission also revealed involvement in internet fraud spanning three to four years, suggesting a deeper entanglement in criminal behavior. Edafe pointed out the interconnectedness of these crimes, stating that "internet fraud, cultism, abuse of illicit substances, and now gun possession" often stem from a single root, creating a cycle of escalating offenses.

For safety purposes… against any unknown gunmen or kidnappers.

— Igbunu EvansStating his claimed reason for purchasing the weapon.

The police emphasized that the Beretta pistol is a prohibited firearm exclusively designated for government security agencies. Possession of such a weapon by an individual, regardless of the stated reason for self-protection, is unlawful. The suspect is currently in custody and will face charges in court, serving as a stern warning against the rising trend of illegal arms acquisition in the region.

Internet fraud, cultism, abuse of illicit substances, and now gun possession show how one crime gives birth to another.

— SP Bright EdafeLinking the suspect's actions to a broader pattern of criminal activity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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