UK denies serving soldier involved in Nigeria arms deal
The British High Commission has denied reports that a serving member of the United Kingdom Armed Forces is involved in an alleged illegal arms procurement scheme in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the commission clarified that the individual mentioned in Nigerian media reports is no longer affiliated with the UK military.
“The individual identified in recent Nigerian media reporting is not a serving member of the UK Armed Forces,” the statement said.
Further clarification revealed that the person in question was formerly a junior-ranking member of the UK Armed Forces Reserves and had since been discharged.
The commission also confirmed that the individual never held the status of a commissioned officer.
Due to legal obligations under the UK’s Data Protection Act and common law, the commission stated that no additional personal information could be released about the former service member.
Meanwhile, reports from The PUNCH allege that the British national was recruited to procure arms and ammunition to inflame tribal conflict in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta.
The Department of State Services (DSS) reportedly intercepted the operation last Friday night in Asaba, Delta State.
During the sting, security agents seized over 50 AK-47 rifles, six pump-action shotguns, and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition.
The suspect was arrested in Lagos while attempting to board a flight to the UK.
His associates were apprehended in Asaba during the operation.
Following the incident, civil society groups and Niger Delta stakeholders staged a protest at the British High Commission, urging a full investigation and calling for cooperation between the UK and Nigerian authorities to identify other individuals linked to the arms deal.