Olayomi Koiki
Abuja – The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), on Monday, declared one Andrew Martin Wynne, also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey, wanted for allegedly plotting to destabilise Nigeria and overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government.
National police spokesma Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this at Force Headquarters in Abuja accused the British national, Drew 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 a cover for his subversive activities.
“The Nigeria Police Force has launched a comprehensive investigation into the activities of foreign national and subversive elements plotting to undermine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change and orchestrating violence across the country,” Adejobi said.
“Following extensive intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies, nine suspects have been apprehended, who received substantial financial backing from foreign sources to destabilise the country.
“Preliminary findings suggest they orchestrated and funded violent protests, disseminated false information, and engaged in other unlawful activities to create anarchy and justify their illegal plot to overthrow the democratically elected government.
“Investigations have identified a foreign mercenary, Andrew Wynne (also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey), a British national, who built a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos. He rented a space at Labour House, Abuja, for an ‘Iva Valley Bookshop’ and established ‘STARS of Nations Schools’ as a cover for his subversive activities.”
The police spokesman told journalists: “Documentary evidence and confessions revealed that Andrew Wynne issued directives, monitored progress, and provided finance and operational guidance to achieve unconstitutional regime change in Nigeria.
“He mobilised and deployed several billions of naira to his Nigerian collaborators, urging them to mobilise the public to violently storm police facilities and military barracks, anticipating a bloodbath that would instigate international condemnation of the Nigerian government. These acts are in clear violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and other relevant laws.”
Adejobi accused “Andrew Wynne (Povey) and one of his local coordinators, one Lucky Ehis Obiyan” of fleeing the country following investigations into their activities.
He, therefore, added they “have been declared wanted, and global hunting for them has commenced in connection with this investigation.”
Povey, the owner of Iva Valley Books, a bookstore located on the second floor of the Paschal Bafyau Labour House, the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had denied receiving any official invitation from the Nigeria Police Force amid allegations connecting him to terrorism financing, according to a report by Sahara Reporters.
Povey, who has resided in Nigeria for over two decades, expressed shock over claims associating him with terrorism and the war in Sudan.
During an interview with the National Record, Povey stated that he travelled out of Nigeria on the night of Sunday, August 4, as planned, for a holiday.
He explained that the bookshop had operated openly for nearly seven years and that security forces had never shown any interest.
“But why should they? We were acting perfectly legally,” he said.
Povey said he was surprised when Chris Uyot, a Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, called to inform him that the police and other security officers had raided his bookshop on the second floor of the Labour House.
He expressed disappointment over the manner by which the security forces acted, describing their behaviour as similar to that of a military junta.
Nigerian security operatives on Wednesday, August 7 raided the bookshop, carting away some documents.
In August, Amnesty International accused Nigerian security forces of killing at least 21 protesters during a week of economic hardship protests.
Police and other security agencies clamped down on protests after thousands of people joined rallies against government policies and the high cost of living from August 1st to 10th.
Security forces denied responsibility for deaths during the protests.
Charges were filed by the police against 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters, according to a Sunday report by Sahara Reporters.
Count one of the charges reads, “The charges read as follows: “Count One – That you the above-named defendants, along with others including Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich), a British citizen, male, age unspecified, Lucky Ehis Obiyan, male, Comrade Musa Abdullahi, male, and others now at large, are accused of conspiring between July 1, 2024, and August 4, 2024, at Karshi, Abuja FCT, within the jurisdiction of this court, with the intent to destabilize Nigeria by committing felony to wit: treason. This offense is contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with skyrocketing inflation, a national currency in free-fall and millions of people struggling to buy food. Only two years ago Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria is projected to drop to fourth place this year.
The pain is widespread. Unions strike to protest salaries of around $20 a month. People die in stampedes, desperate for free sacks of rice. Hospitals are overrun with women wracked by spasms from calcium deficiencies.
Although President Bola Tinubu increased the minimum wage — after strike action and months-long negotiations with labour unions — from N30,000 to N70,000, his government has increased spending for officials at a time of nationwide starvation.
For workers earning the new N70,000, or $43, per month minimum wage, capricious inflation and naira value have inflicted too much damage for the changes to make any difference in their lives.
The crisis is largely believed to be rooted in two major changes implemented by Mr Tinubu, elected 15 months ago: the partial removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the currency, which together have caused major price rises.
A nation of entrepreneurs, Nigeria’s more than 200 million citizens are skilled at managing in tough circumstances, without the services states usually provide. They generate their own electricity and source their own water. They take up arms and defend their communities when the armed forces cannot. They negotiate with armed kidnappers when family members are abducted.
But right now, their resourcefulness is being stretched to the limit.