UK Distances Self from Soldier Involved in Illegal Arms Deal in Nigeria

The development has received widespread condemnation with many stakeholders demanding a thorough probe of the indicted soldier and alleging that the UK was fuelling instability in the country.

In a short statement shared with Business Post on Wednesday, the British High Commission acknowledged that the individual identified did serve as a junior rank in the UK Armed Forces Reserves but was later discharged. It didn’t provide further details.

According to a statement credited to an unnamed spokesperson, the British High Commission in the statement said, “The individual identified in recent Nigerian media reporting is not a serving member of the UK Armed Forces.”

The British High Commission added that whilst in the Reserves, Mr Polo was a junior rank not a commissioned officer. Many reports had ascribed him a Major.

This newspaper learnt that UK common law and Data Protection Act protects the personal details of current and former employees, hence why it was not able to release any additional information on the matter.

According to reports, Mr Polo, an Itsekiri by origin, was allegedly recruited by one Collins to procure weapons and ammunition intended to fuel tribal tensions in the oil-rich region.

However, operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) from the Delta Command were said to have foiled the move on Friday night and arrested the arms supplier during a covert exchange near Asaba, Delta State.

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

Mr Polo, on the other hand, was intercepted in Lagos as he attempted to board a flight to the United Kingdom, while his associates were apprehended in Asaba during the operation.