Alleged Coup against Tinubu: Briton Blasts Nigerian Govt For Declaring Him Wanted, Reveals Next Action
Drew Povey, a British national also known as Andrew Wynne, has criticized the Nigerian government for declaring him wanted on allegations of inciting insurrection against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Povey, who has been accused of building a network of sleeper cells to destabilize the Nigerian government and create chaos, has urged the government to refrain from treating protests as acts of treason.
Povey, who operated a bookshop at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), saw his business raided and sealed as part of the charges against him. He is accused of enabling some #EndBadGovernance protesters with the intent to destabilize Nigeria.
In a statement issued on the letterhead of his bookshop, Povey argued, “PROTEST IS NOT TREASON – release all the detainees! The mass protests over #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger frightened the government. But rather than addressing the people’s demands, the government turned to repression.”
Povey also highlighted alleged abuses during the protests, stating, “Perhaps 40 people were murdered by the police and other security forces, thousands were arrested, and many still remain in captivity. In Abuja, the authorities have attacked the so-called leaders and organizers of the protests.”
He criticized the government’s actions, noting, “Ten people face ridiculous charges including treason, mutiny, and levying war against the state. Despite the flimsy nature of the evidence against them, they face long years in prison unless the trade union movement is prepared to protect them.”
Povey further detailed the case of Eleojo Opaluwa, a former colleague of NLC President Joe Ajaero, who has been detained for over four weeks without substantial evidence. Povey claimed that Opaluwa was detained after allegedly receiving a WhatsApp message and criticized the conditions faced by the detainees, including torture and confiscation of their phones.
The Nigerian police had earlier declared Andrew Wynne, also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey, wanted for allegedly plotting to destabilize Nigeria and overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government. Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, accused Povey of renting a space at Labour House in Abuja for his Iva Valley Bookshop and establishing Stars of Nations Schools in Nasarawa State as fronts for his subversive activities.
Adejobi disclosed, “Investigations have identified Andrew Wynne (also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey), who built a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos. He mobilized and deployed several billions of naira to his Nigerian collaborators, urging them to violently storm police facilities and military barracks, anticipating a bloodbath that would instigate international condemnation of the Nigerian government.”
The police also announced that they had filed charges against ten #EndBadGovernance protesters, accusing them of conspiring to destabilize Nigeria. The charges include treason and are based on allegations that they conspired to commit felony between July 1, 2024, and August 4, 2024.
As the situation unfolds, Povey has pledged to continue his advocacy and legal challenges against what he perceives as unjust treatment and repression.
