Niger Delta group demands probe of alleged notorious arms smuggler linked to Olu of Warri, accuses DSS and Tinubu’s wife of cover-up
In what is emerging as one of the most explosive whistleblower revelations in the Niger Delta this year, a respected regional advocacy coalition, the Niger Delta Watchmen, has publicly accused prominent political and royal figures in Nigeria of shielding a notorious transnational arms smuggler and fueling the militarization of youth in the oil-rich Delta region. In a 3,000-word petition, the group alleged a dangerous collusion between security operatives, palace loyalists, and powerful elites, which it claims is endangering the fragile peace in the Niger Delta.
At the center of the allegations is Major Mica Polo, described as a British army veteran and arms smuggler, said to be closely linked to Collins Edema, a high-ranking aide of the Olu of Warri, and backed by a shadowy network involving militant recruiters, politicians, and compromised law enforcement agencies.
In an open letter dated July 16, 2025, and addressed to the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, Inspector-General of Police, and international embassies and human rights bodies, the Niger Delta Watchmen issued a stern warning about what they described as a growing criminal cartel under the umbrella of royalty and federal protection.
The petition, jointly signed by Chairman Kelvin Kevwe and Secretary Workman J. Sylvester, accuses top officials of Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS), and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, of enabling the release of suspects arrested in connection with a sophisticated arms smuggling syndicate that allegedly operates across Delta, Bayelsa, and Edo States.
We are raising this alarm not for media attention but for the sake of the country’s unity, peace and the survival of the Niger Delta, the Watchmen said. Our people are being terrorized with smuggled arms. Our youth are being militarized for palace-led warfare. And our security forces are complicit in shielding the perpetrators.
YOU MAY READ
Niger Delta Youth Threaten to Shut Down Oil Production Over Alleged Harassment of Akpabio
According to the Watchmen, Major Mica Polo is not just an ordinary arms courier. Described as a notorious British mercenary, the group claims he is a retired foreign operative who entered Nigeria under diplomatic cover but quickly embedded himself within militant networks allegedly coordinated by Collins Edema, the Director of AIM (Arms, Intelligence and Mobilization) for the Olu of Warri.
Polo, who was reportedly arrested during a DSS sting operation in Asaba, Delta State, was allegedly caught with 57 AK-47 rifles, six pump-action shotguns, and over 3,000 rounds of live ammunition. His arrest sparked a turf war between federal and state security outfits, culminating in a deadly shootout between DSS operatives and Delta State Police, in which one police officer was killed.
The group claims that during interrogation, Polo and his alleged co-conspirators confessed to working under Edema’s direct command to train Itsekiri youth in guerrilla warfare tactics, aimed at consolidating palace authority and suppressing rival ethnic communities.
Described as the palace’s war chest manager, Collins Edema is alleged to be the chief mobilizer of a youth militia loyal to the Warri Kingdom’s traditional establishment. According to the Niger Delta Watchmen, Edema’s operations include recruitment of ex-militants and unemployed youths, arms procurement and importation, coordination of cross-border training exercises with foreign mercenaries, and use of palace influence to obstruct security investigations.
They assert that Edema’s boys were behind the recent arson attack on the Odion community, which was burnt to the ground over a land boundary dispute, leaving over 200 people displaced.
This isn’t just about illegal weapons. This is about organized subversion of state authority, ethnic cleansing by proxy, and full-blown rebellion against constitutional order, the Watchmen warned.
DSS complicity and the hidden shootout
The July 2025 DSS operation in Ebuzo, Asaba, intended to intercept an arms transfer orchestrated by Edema’s militia, ended in a gunfight between the DSS and Delta State Police, allegedly after police officers tried to halt the arrests.
Eyewitness accounts cited by the Watchmen suggest that one police officer loyal to Delta State’s political elite was killed, and several arms-laden vehicles were impounded. However, according to the group, DSS leadership has refused to release full details of the operation, leaving the public in the dark about a major internal security breach.
Why has the DSS not issued a public briefing? Why was the incident buried? Who is being protected? they questioned. Why has no one been held accountable for the officer’s death?
Tinubu’s wife and Dazi Danjuma accused of shielding suspects
In the most damning portion of the petition, the Watchmen accused First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Dazi Danjuma, an oil magnate and political ally of the presidency, of intervening to secure the release of the arrested suspects, including Major Mica Polo.
This release was directly influenced by Remi Tinubu and Dazi Danjuma, who used their political connections and power to pressure the military into freeing these individuals, the group alleged.
They described the development as a devastating betrayal of national security efforts, claiming that it sends a dangerous message that the politically connected are above the law.
Olu of Warri directly named
While stopping short of accusing the Olu of Warri of criminality, the group painted him as a beneficiary and protector of Edema’s militia operations.
We have it on record that the Olu of Warri is aware of the activities of his director. Not only has he refused to discipline Edema, he has also openly celebrated his loyalty at palace functions, the petition reads.
They argue that the royal palace has now become a hub for youth indoctrination and ethnic intimidation, stoking fear and rivalry among Urhobo, Ijaw, and Isoko communities in Warri South-West and beyond.
Fatty, drugs, and the Ayiri Emami angle
The group further alleged that another palace loyalist known only as Fatty was directly involved in the razing of Odion village, using arms sourced from the smuggling network.
They also tied the recent drug possession case involving Ayiri Emami’s younger brother to the same pattern of impunity.
This same cartel also pushed for the release of Ayiri Emami’s brother, arrested for trafficking hard drugs, the group claimed, without providing specific dates.
Demand for federal and international action
In their call to action, the Niger Delta Watchmen demanded the following:
- Immediate probe into the activities of Major Mica Polo, Collins Edema, and Fatty
- Public disciplinary action against DSS operatives and Delta State Police officials involved in the Ebuzo cover-up
- Investigation into the alleged political interference by Remi Tinubu and Dazi Danjuma
- Independent judicial panel to audit palace-linked militia recruitment
- Intervention by the United Nations, ECOWAS, and the British government
The international community must not look away as Nigeria slides into feudal warlordism. These are not isolated incidents—they are part of a coordinated scheme to corrupt democracy, militarize youth, and suppress dissent, the group stated.
We will not be silenced
The Niger Delta Watchmen concluded their petition with a declaration of resolve:
We are not blind to the dangers these criminals pose. We are not powerless in the face of this corruption. And we will not remain silent while Nigeria is held hostage by bribery, political manipulation, and criminal activity.
They called on civil society organizations, student unions, and community leaders across the Niger Delta to rise up against this growing tyranny masked as tradition.
Government’s silence raises eyebrows
As of press time, neither the presidency, the DSS, nor the Olu of Warri’s palace has issued a formal statement denying or confirming the allegations.
Efforts to reach First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s media aide and DSS spokesperson Dr. Peter Afunanya were unsuccessful, as calls and emails went unanswered.
However, sources within Delta’s political establishment suggest that a quiet internal audit has begun, though no arrests have been made.
What this means for the Niger Delta
This development comes amid renewed calls for resource control, restructuring, and justice for oil-impacted communities in the Niger Delta. With arms smuggling, ethnic tension, and corruption increasingly linked to royalty and politics, the region stands at a dangerous crossroads.
If the allegations are true, they may represent one of the most serious cases of elite-enabled arms trafficking and regional destabilization in Nigeria’s democratic history.
And if ignored, analysts warn, it could plunge the region back into the kind of unrest seen in the pre-amnesty era of the early 2000s.
Nigeria must decide: do we protect powerful criminals, or do we protect the people? the Niger Delta Watchmen asked. Because you cannot do both.
Let me know if you’d like a version formatted for publication in print or digital CMS (like WordPress or Substack), or broken into newsletter sections.