Security
…Clears NLC President of involvement
By Anthony Isibor
THE Nigerian Police says it has arrested nine person in connection with the alleged plot to undermine the democratically elected government of Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change.
The police also identified Andrew Wynne, also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey, a foreign mercenary and a British national, who built a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos.
According to the police Wynne and his alleged Nigerian collaborator, Lucky Ehims are at large and said it has N20 million reward for anyone with valuable information that will lead to their arrest.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said in a press briefing on Monday said that the nine arrested suspects had received substantial financial backing from Wynne to destabilize the country.
According to him, Wynne had 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.”
Adejobi disclosed that preliminary findings suggest the nine persons 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.
Following extensive intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies, evidence and confessions also revealed that Andrew Wynne issued directives, monitored progress, provided finance and operational guidance to achieve unconstitutional regime change in Nigeria.
“He mobilized and deployed several billions of naira to his Nigerian collaborators, urging them to mobilize the public to violently storm police facilities and military barracks, anticipating a bloodbath that will instigate international condemnation of the Nigerian government. These acts are in clear violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and other relevant laws.
“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.
“The nine 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.
“These acts are in clear violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and other relevant laws,” he said.
Adejobi also said that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, who has condemned 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.
He said that the IGP had also assured the general public that the Police would leave no stone unturned in dealing with and bringing to deserved justice, any individual or group threatening our national security and peace or promoting any movement with the motive of truncating our democratic government through unconstitutional means.
“We recognize 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 commercialize 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 aimed at clearing the relationship of 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, 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.
“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 destabilizing the country and engendering violent and unconstitutional regime change.
“The Inspector-General of Police appeals for 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,” he added.
Reacting, Povey, in a statement written on the letterhead of his bookshop, said the mass protests over #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger frightened the government.
“But rather than addressing the people’s demands, the government turned to repression,” he said.
His full statement reads:
“PROTEST IS NOT TREASON – release all the detainees! The mass protests over #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger frightened the government. But rather than addressing the peoples’ demands, the government turned to repression. Perhaps 40 people were murdered by the police and other the 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 organizers 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.”
A.I
Sept. 2, 2024
Tags: Police arrest 9 over alleged plots to topple government
