BREAKING: Briton, Nigerian Wanted For Plotting To Overthrow President Tinubu

The Nigeria Police Force, on Mon­day, declared one foreign merce­nary, Andrew Wynne, a British citizen, with multiple identities and his Nigerian accomplice, one Lucky Ehis Obiyan, wanted over plot to topple President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government and plunge the nation into chaos....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶

The Force Headquarters also said ten suspects have been appre­hended for receiving substantial financial backing from foreign sources to destabilise the coun­try as global hunt for the fleeing suspects has commenced in con­nection with the investigation.

Addressing newsmen at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on police investigation of a foreign­er and subversive elements for attempted regime change and orchestrated violence in Nige­ria during the 10 days nation­wide protest against hunger, the Force Spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects rented a space at La­bour House, Abuja, to cover his subversive activities.

The Nigeria Police Force has launched a comprehensive investigation into the activities of a foreign national and subver­sive elements plotting to under­mine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change and orchestrating violence across the country.

ACP Adejobi explained that “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. 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.”

According to the Force Spokes­person, “Since the commence­ment of investigations, Andrew Wynne has fled the country. He and one of his local coordinators, one Lucky Ehis Obiyan, have ac­cordingly been declared wanted and global hunting for them has commenced in connection with this investigation.”

Adejobi, however, disclosed that “the ten other suspects al­ready apprehended have been ar­raigned before a competent court of law today, Monday, September 2, 2024, for Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treason­able Felony, Subversion, and Cy­bercrime.

“They include Angel Love Innocent (F), Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon (M), Michael Tobitoba Adaramoye AKA Leni (M), Sulei­man Yakubu (M), Buhari Lawal (M), Mosiu Sadiq (M), Abayomi Adeyemi (M), Abdulsalam Zubai­ru (M), Nuradeen Hamis (M), and Bashir Bello (M).

“These acts are in clear vio­lation of the Terrorism (Preven­tion) Act 2011 and other relevant laws.”

Meanwhile, the Inspec­tor-General of Police (IGP), IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, while condemning the activities of the group, has since activated the IN­TERPOL tools and other global policing networks to support ongoing domestic investigations aimed at locating and apprehend­ing the suspects at large.

The IGP also assured the general public that the Force will leave no stone unturned in dealing with and bringing to de­served justice, any individual or group threatening the country’s national security and peace or promoting any movement with the motive of truncating our democratic government through unconstitutional means.

He said, “We recognise and remain committed to protecting citizens’ constitutionally guaran­teed fundamental and democratic rights to peaceful assembly and free expression.

“However, we advise citizens to be wary of subversive elements who weaponise and commercial­ise protests for personal financial and ideological benefits.

“Contrary to disinformation, the invitation extended to cer­tain individuals within the NLC leadership has nothing to do with rights advocacy and activities of the union leadership but is aimed at clearing the relationship be­tween the individuals and An­drew Wynne who in addition to plotting unconstitutional regime change is also financing terror­ism in Nigeria.”

Following the interaction between the police investigation team and the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the Force Spokesperson stated that “there is now a clearer understanding of the focus of the ongoing po­lice investigation and the depth of Andrew Wynne’s subversive network and activities.”

He also stressed that “no nation will tolerate attempts by foreign elements to interfere in its internal affairs, threaten na­tional security and organise and fund local elements to instigate uprisings aimed at destabilising the country and engendering vio­lent and unconstitutional regime change.

“The Inspector-General of Police appeals for the cooperation and support of all law-abiding citizens in the ongoing investi­gation. He assures anyone with information leading to the arrest of any of the suspects declared wanted will be appreciated and rewarded handsomely.”

In a Special Police Gazette Bulletin shared with journalists at Force Headquarters, a copy of which was obtained by Daily Independent, the force accused Andrew Wynne, a British citi­zen, and Lucky Ehis Obiyan of terrorism financing, treasonable felony, cybercrime, subversion and criminal conspiracy.

“If seen, arrest and hand over to the nearest police, or to the office of the Deputy In­spector-General of Police, De­partment of Force Intelligence, Force Headquarters, Abuja, or call 08035179870, 09133333785, 09133333786.

“A reward sum of N10,000,000 awaits any person(s) with infor­mation leading to the arrest of each of the,” the bulletin partly reads.

10 #EndBadGovernance Protesters Arraigned, Remanded

Meanwhile, the Federal Gov­ernment through the Inspector General of Police, on Monday, arraigned ten members of the #EndBadGovernance# protest­ers before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The accused persons were al­leged to have committed offence of treason during the 10-day na­tionwide protests.

However, all the accused per­sons denied the charges when read to them.

They are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari La­wal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello Nurudeen Khamis and Abdulda­lam Zubair.

After entering plea, counsel for the IGP, Simon Lough (SAN), prayed the trial judge, Emeka Nwite, to remand the accused per­sons in prison pending their trial.

The oral applications for bail of the defendants moved sepa­rately by Abubakar Marshall, and Deji Adeyanju were rejected by the court.

The police lawyer, Simon Lough, vehemently objected to the bail applications, considering the gravity of the alleged offences.

He specifically cited mutiny aimed at changing democratic government by force through incitement and involvement of a British national against the Nige­rian nation.

Reacting to the bail applica­tions, Justice Nwite ordered that the defendants be remanded at Kuje prison in Abuja and Suleja prison in Niger State and

adjourned ruling in their bail applications till September 11.

The Judge ordered that the nine male defendants are to re­main in Kuje prison while the only female defendant said to be pregnant, Angel Love Innocent, was ordered to be taken to Suleja prison.

Justice Nwite said he needed time to consult the retinue of au­thorities cited by lawyers to the defendants to back up their bail applications.

Specifically, they were charged for attempting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu bewteen August 1 to 4, this year.

The alleged treason charge was contrary to Sections 96, 410 and 413 of the Penal Code.

In the charge, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) claimed the accused persons broke into the Abacha Army Barracks and openly called on the military to take over the constitutional gov­ernment of President Tinubu.

Also the IGP alleged that the suspects attempted to force their way into Aso Rock during which they allegedly burnt down police station and injured some police officers.

Police also told the court that a 70-year old British citizen, Andrew Martin Wynne, now at large was largely responsible for instigating mutiny against the Nigerian government.

More so, they were accused of inciting the Nigerian public against the government and de­stroyed several public properties comprising police station, High Court complex and National Communication Commission (NCC) facilities.

The alleged offences were said to have been committed in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe etc.

Protest Not Treason, British Nat’l, Andrew Wynne, Replies Police

Reacting, the British nation­al, Andrew Wynne, who was declared wanted over an alleged attempt to cause regime change in Nigeria through #EndBad­Governance Protest, has faulted the Nigerian government, say­ing protest cannot be treated as treason.

Wynne faulted the charges, saying rather than addressing the people’s demands, the Nigerian government turned to repression.

In the statement titled, ‘Protest is not Treason – Release all the Detainees!’, Andrew said, “The mass protests over EndBadGov­ernance and EndHunger fright­ened the government. But rather than addressing the people’s de­mands, the government turned to repression.

“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 organisers of the protests. Ten people face ridicu­lous charges including treason, mutiny, and levying war against the state.

“The NLC promised a general strike to protect its President, Joe Ajaero, from arrest and detention in relation to similar charges. De­spite the flimsy nature of the evi­dence against the detainees, they face long years in prison unless the trade union movement is pre­pared to protect them. On 7th Au­gust, the NLC said it, ‘condemns in the strongest terms the human rights violations perpetrated by security forces against peaceful protesters.’

“The first person to be arrest­ed in this case was Eleojo Opalu­wa. He is a former colleague of Joe Ajaero, working for NUEE, the electricians union, as an or­ganiser in Abuja. He is also the Vice Chair of the NLC in Kogi State. He has now been detained for over 4 weeks, with no tangible evidence. His family was told that he had received a WhatsApp mes­sage from one of the other alleged leaders. This was after Eleojo had actually been detained.

“The ten detainees have been accused of conspiracy to commit a range of serious crimes. How­ever, they barely know each oth­er. Five of them may have been members of a WhatsApp group set up to organise the protests in Abuja. But the other five are un­known to these comrades. They may be a few of the flag-waving protesters from Kano, who were added to extend the range of the organisers, to cover the main protests from Sokoto to Maidu­guri.

“There appears to be a conflict between the government and the police investigating this case. The head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) told the detainees’ lawyers that he would have re­leased them, but that he had or­ders from above not to set them free. So the police have developed what appears to be a ridiculous case, involving the owner of Iva Valley Books. They are claiming that he goes under the name of Andrew Povich, a Russian-sound­ing name, and that he has now left Nigeria for Russia.

“Neither of these claims are true. Yomi, who works for Iva Valley Books, has, like the other detainees, been treated in a ter­ribly inhumane manner. He was arrested in front of his wife and three-year-old daughter. All their phones were confiscated by the police. This was despite appeals from his wife that they needed a phone to get money for food.

“He was then imprisoned ille­gally and held in chains, beaten and tortured for three days. His only involvement was to design flyers for the protests on the in­structions of his boss. The NLC has shown that it has the power to protect its president. It now needs to extend this action to protect its other officers, its members, and the general public.”