A 70-year-old retired British accountant, Andrew Wynne, also known as Drew Povey, has challenged the Nigerian government to provide evidence that he funded the #EndBadGovernance protests in August.
The Briton declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government, has again denied the accusations.
Wynne, who owns a bookstore named Iva Valley at the Nigeria Labour House in Abuja, said he is innocent.
He explained that he has been travelling to Nigeria regularly, visiting five or six times a year since at least 2008, and has deep ties to the West African country.
The British national also refuted claims of foreign involvement, clarifying that he has not visited Russia in over 20 years.
He stated that his only trips to Russia were for a short holiday when he was 18 and a brief business trip more than two decades ago.
Also, he distanced himself from any recent connections to Sudan, explaining that while he worked there as a teacher in the 1970s, he has not returned in over 45 years.
He said, “I am completely innocent of having committed any crime in Nigeria over the last 25 years that I have been visiting the country. The police have no evidence for the crimes that they claim I have committed.
“The evidence that they have given to the court does not support any of the charges against any of the accused. I am a 70-year-old retired accountant, I am not an ‘international terrorist.’”
He added that the police have not provided any evidence to support their allegation that he paid people to support the protests.
He said, “I did not pay anyone for such activities. The police blocked 32 bank accounts, but they have not provided a single example of any transaction to support their claim that I funded treason or any other illegal activity.”
“I have been travelling to Nigeria regularly, five or six times a year, since at least 2008. I have had a business visa to cover each of these visits.
“The police claim that I visited other African countries 13 times in two months. This is a complete fabrication.”
He said, “I have been operating the book shop, Iva Valley Books, perfectly openly for the last seven years. To my knowledge the police, DSS and other security operatives have never visited the book shop.
“We also organised a book stall in Eagle Square during the NLC May Day celebrations over the last two years. On each occasion DSS officers came and greeted us and looked at the book stall. Beyond this they expressed no interest in myself or the book stall,” Wynne said.
He explained that the nickname claimed for him by the police – Povich – is their fabrication.
He said, “I had never before even heard of such a name. I have not been to Russia in the last 20 years. I only ever visited the country for a short holiday when I was 18 and again briefly on a business trip over 20 years ago.
“Similarly with Sudan, I worked there as a teacher in the 1970’s, but I have not visited what is now Sudan in the last 45 years.”
“I have never called for a military coup in any country. I support democracy and do not believe that military coups are a step forward. I do not think the recent coups in West Africa have benefited the common people in those countries.”
Wynne said he freely flew out of the country from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on August 4 on a ticket that he had purchased nearly three months earlier.
He said, “I had no reason to flee and had already booked a ticket to return as usual on 18th September. I hardly know any of those detained for the alleged crimes associated with me. I have never met most of them and had no contact with them before they were detained.”
He noted that his employee who was arrested and later released on bail, Abayomi Abiodun, had worked with him for nearly five years. He added that he had never had any contact of any sort with most of the others arrested and detained over #EndBadGovernance protests, whom he was accused of conspiring with.
“I believe that all of the 10 people who have been charged with alleged offences associate with me are completely innocent. When they are found not guilty, my name will also be cleared,” he added.
On Monday, September 2, Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi accused Wynne of building a network of sleeper cells to cause chaos and overthrow the government.
“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,” he added.
Adejobi further stated, “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.”
“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 said.
