The Delta State Police has arrested a man who allegedly bought prohibited firearm through the Snapchat social media application.
The prohibited firearm, a Beretta pistol, was confirmed to have been found in the possession of the suspect, Igbunu Evans, by Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who released it in a video obtained and seen by ENigeria Newspaper on Tuesday.
“This is a Beretta pistol, not even fabricated. It has the magazine and two 9mm ammunition,” stressing that such weapons are restricted to authorised security agencies”, the police chief said.
During interrogation, Evans acknowledged that he bought the gun via a social media app, stating that he “ordered it through Snapchat from a smoke vendor” and paid N450,000 to have it delivered.
The suspect admitted to being involved in online fraud, saying he had been doing so for over three years. He, however, admitted that but he had acquired the firearm for safety purposes should in case he is been threatend by any unknown shooters or kidnappers.
Evan’s arrest occurred just three days after the arrest of teen hacker who sold explicit contents via Whatsapp. Recall that ENigeria Newspaper reported that the case was discovered as a result of a concern being raised during a routine check of the student’s phone. She explained that although the student’s mother initially claimed the phone belonged to his sister, further research revealed the phone actually belonged to the youngster, whom his schoolmates referred to as “boss”.
During the search, they discovered more than 80 Australian lines, multiple overseas numbers, and a phone full of pornographic material. Additionally, they observed conversations in which he asked his classmates whether he had any sexual material to sell. They also found that he had access to certain celebrities’ WhatsApp accounts, which he used to extort money from gullible people.
Edafe said that the development was linked to a string of criminal activities, saying that internet fraud, cultism, abuse of illegal drugs, and now gun possession are examples of how “one crime gives birth to another.”
The Delta State police chief stressed that it is illegal for people to own these kinds of guns, saying that the Beretta pistol “is a prohibited firearm that can only be linked to government security agencies.”
He also said that no one is allowed to have these guns for self-defense.
