Suspect in Delta ‘arms smuggling’ saga not UK soldier, says British High Commission

The British High Commission has rejected claims that a man arrested in Delta state over alleged illegal arms procurement is a serving member of the UK military.

BACKGROUND

On Monday, a delegation of Niger Delta stakeholders and a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) petitioned the high commission over an alleged plot to incite unrest in Warri, Delta state.

They asked the commission to probe Micah Polo, a man who was identified as a major in the British army.

Polo, who is Nigerian by birth, was recently apprehended in connection with procuring illegal arms to fuel the alleged planned mayhem.

However, DSS operatives from the Delta command were said to have foiled the move last Friday, arresting the arms supplier during a covert exchange near Asaba.

During the operation, over 50 AK-47 rifles, six pump-action shotguns, and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition were reportedly confiscated.

Reports said Polo was intercepted in Lagos as he attempted to board a flight to the UK.

The petitioners urged the British government to cooperate with the DSS to uncover Polo’s collaborators, some of whom are reportedly still at large.

BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION REACTS

In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the British High Commission clarified the country’s connection to Polo.

“The individual identified in recent Nigerian media reporting is not a serving member of the UK Armed Forces,” the statement reads.

The commission, however, noted that Polo did serve as a junior ranking officer in the UK armed forces reserves but was discharged.

“Whilst in the Reserves he was a junior rank not a commissioned officer,” the statement added.

“We have a common law and Data Protection Act duty to protect the personal details of our current and former employees and are therefore not able to release any additional information in this matter.”