The Nigeria Police Force has declared Andrew Wynne, a British national also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey, wanted for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Force’s spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, during a press briefing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
According to ACP Adejobi, the police have launched a comprehensive investigation into Wynne’s activities, which allegedly involved recruiting foreign mercenaries and collaborating with subversive elements to destabilize the democratically elected government of Nigeria. Wynne reportedly rented a space at Labour House in Abuja under the guise of operating an ‘Iva Valley Bookshop’ and establishing ‘STARS of Nations Schools’ as fronts for his subversive activities.
The police allege that documentary evidence and confessions have revealed Wynne’s involvement in orchestrating and monitoring the August protests, providing financial backing and operational guidance aimed at achieving an unconstitutional regime change in Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Police Force has initiated an extensive 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 stated.
He added that nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the plot, and that these individuals had received significant financial support from foreign sources to destabilize the country. The investigation indicates that these suspects were involved in funding violent protests, spreading misinformation, and engaging in other unlawful activities intended to create chaos and justify their illegal agenda.
Thediscovererng.com reports that this development follows a recent incident involving the Department of State Services (DSS), which arrested several Polish nationals in Kano during the protests. Polish authorities later clarified that their citizens were in Nigeria for an exchange program at Bayero University, Kano, and had no connection to the protests. The detainees were eventually released after spending several weeks in custody.
In a related matter, the police had previously invited Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Joe Ajaero for questioning regarding his connection to Andrew Wynne, who was a tenant at Labour House in Abuja. Ajaero complied with the initial invitation last week and has since been reinvited by the police for further questioning.
