THE British High Commission on Wednesday refuted claims circulating in the media that a serving member of the United Kingdom Armed Forces is involved in an alleged illegal arms procurement operation in Nigeria.
In an official statement released by the commission, a spokesperson for the High Commission clarified that the individual identified in recent reports is not currently serving in the UK military.
“The individual identified in recent Nigerian media reporting is not a serving member of the UK Armed Forces,” the statement read.
Further information provided by the commission revealed that the individual previously served as a junior rank in the UK Armed Forces Reserves and has since been discharged.
It was also confirmed that the person held no commissioned officer status during their time in service.
Citing obligations under the common law and the UK’s Data Protection Act, the commission stated that it cannot release additional personal details regarding current or former personnel.
The statement added, “The individual identified did serve as a junior rank in the UK Armed Forces Reserves but was discharged.
“Whilst in the Reserves he was a junior rank not a commissioned officer.
“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 newspaper reported that a British Army officer was allegedly recruited to procure weapons and ammunition intended to fuel tribal tensions in the oil-rich region.
However, DSS operatives 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.
The officer, on the other hand, was intercepted in Lagos as he attempted to board a flight to the UK, while his associates were apprehended in Asaba during the operation.
A delegation of Niger Delta stakeholders and a coalition of civil society organisations on Monday stormed the British High Commission, demanding a thorough probe of the indicted British Army officer.
They also begged the British government to cooperate with the Department of State Services to uncover his collaborators, some of whom are reportedly still at large.