In a development that has sent shockwaves across Delta State, the Department of State Services (DSS) has uncovered a clandestine arms procurement plot, leading to the arrest of multiple suspects-including a British Army officer, Major Micah Polo and casting a dark shadow over one of Nigeria’s most revered traditional institutions, the Olu of Itsekiri.
On Wednesday 23rd, during a covert operation near Asaba, the DSS Delta Command apprehended several arms dealers and their associates. The security team recovered a staggering cache of weapons: over 50 AK-47 rifles, six pump-action shotguns, and more than 3,000 rounds of live ammunition.
The arrested suspects, who initially posed as middlemen, claimed they had no direct connection to their arms distributors-individuals they insisted they had never seen in person. However, just hours after their arrest, DSS operatives in Lagos intercepted Major Micah Polo, a serving officer in the British Army, as he attempted to flee Nigeria en route to the United Kingdom.
Major Polo, an Itsekiri by origin, has long been rumored to have close business ties with the Olu of Warri. Security sources allege that Polo played a central role in procuring the intercepted arms, allegedly at the request of the Olu and one Collins Edema -purportedly to spark unrest in Warri, a historically fragile but recently peaceful region of Delta State.
This arrest raises serious questions about the nature of Major Polo’s relationship with the monarch. Why would a respected traditional ruler, long seen as a symbol of peace and unity, be linked to such a dangerous and destabilizing plot?
Even more alarming is the pattern emerging around Major Polo’s history with Nigerian security agencies. The People’s Insight gathered that this is not his first brush with the law. On multiple occasions, he has been apprehended but quietly released — allegedly due to his ties with powerful political figures. Until now, none of his case files ever reached public light.
A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO SHIELD THE POWERFUL
In many cultures, monarchs and traditional rulers are guardians of peace- expected to preserve harmony, resolve disputes, and uplift their communities. But in practice, some have used their influence to promote tribal favoritism, silence opposition, and consolidate power through covert means.
The fact that this case remained buried from public view for so long only deepens public suspicion. Why has every attempt to bring Major Polo to justice failed until now? Why are key names always erased from official reports when the powerful are involved?
This incident reflects a broader systemic flaw in Nigeria’s justice apparatus. When ordinary citizens are involved in acts of tribal violence, they are swiftly prosecuted. But when the trail leads to palaces or political offices, justice becomes selective. Files disappear. Witnesses vanish. Cases are delayed indefinitely. Legal immunity and political patronage ensure that the powerful remain untouchable.
TRIBAL CONFLICT: THE WEAPON OF THE ELITE
Ethnic identity has become a tool in the hands of power-hungry leaders- wielded not to unify but to divide. Rather than promoting a shared vision for development, they exploit deep-rooted tribal loyalties to turn communities against each other. The goal? To maintain control and suppress opposition. Meanwhile, it is the ordinary people who suffer, while those responsible remain above the law.
CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY AND JUSTICE
We call on the DSS and all relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough, transparent investigation. Every individual involved regardless of status or title must be held accountable if found guilty of attempting to incite violence or destabilize the state.
If these allegations are proven true, it will mark a dark chapter in the history of the Itsekiri Kingdom and a disgrace to the revered stool of the Olu. Such a betrayal of public trust and communal peace must not be swept under the rug.
Our society must begin to question and challenge the glorification of leaders who divide rather than unite. The peace of Warri and the future of Delta State depends on it.
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