The British High Commission in Nigeria has denied reports alleging that a serving member of the United Kingdom Armed Forces was involved in an illegal arms procurement operation uncovered in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the commission clarified that the individual reportedly linked to the arms deal is no longer affiliated with the British military.
“The individual identified in recent Nigerian media reporting is not a serving member of the UK Armed Forces,” the statement read.
Further clarification from the High Commission revealed that the suspect once served as a junior-ranked reservist in the UK Armed Forces but had since been discharged.
It also noted that the individual never held the status of a commissioned officer during his time in service.
“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,” the statement added.
The clarification followed reports that a British Army officer had allegedly been recruited to facilitate the supply of weapons and ammunition intended to escalate ethnic tensions in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Security sources said the Department of State Services (DSS), acting on intelligence, thwarted the alleged plot on Friday night.
The arms supplier was reportedly arrested during a covert operation near Asaba, Delta State, where over 50 AK-47 rifles, six pump-action shotguns, and more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
The British suspect was later intercepted in Lagos while attempting to board a flight to the United Kingdom, while his alleged accomplices were apprehended at the exchange point in Asaba.
In response to the incident, a group of Niger Delta stakeholders and civil society organisations on Monday staged a protest at the British High Commission in Abuja, calling for a thorough investigation into the suspect’s activities.
The protesters urged the British government to collaborate fully with Nigerian authorities to expose and prosecute all individuals connected to the arms deal.