Drew Povey, a British citizen accused of inciting insurrection against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has called on the Nigerian government to stop treating peaceful protests as treasonous acts. Povey, also identified by Nigerian authorities as Andrew Wynne, issued a statement addressing claims that he was building “a network of sleeper cells to topple” the government and cause nationwide chaos.
Povey, who operated Iva Valley Bookshop from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja, has been accused of enabling #EndBadGovernance protesters with the alleged intent to destabilize the country. His bookshop was raided and sealed by authorities amid these allegations.
In his statement on the bookshop’s letterhead, Povey declared, “PROTEST IS NOT TREASON – release all the detainees!” He criticized the government’s response to mass protests against bad governance and hunger, claiming it resorted to repression rather than addressing the people’s demands.
Povey alleged that security forces killed around 40 protesters, arrested thousands, and detained many without trial. He also highlighted the plight of ten protesters facing severe charges, including treason, mutiny, and waging war against the state. Povey warned that these protesters could face long prison sentences unless the trade unions stand up to protect them.
He also mentioned the case of Eleojo Opaluwa, a former union organizer detained for over four weeks on flimsy evidence. Povey stressed that many detainees barely knew each other and that the government fabricated connections to build a case against them. He claimed that the Nigerian authorities were using his name, along with fabricated aliases like “Andrew Povich,” to support their narrative.
Povey criticized the police for their brutal tactics, citing the case of Yomi, an employee of his bookshop, who was allegedly arrested, beaten, and tortured by the police.
The Nigerian Police Force, led by its spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police Olumuyiwa Adejobi, accused Drew Povey of using his bookshop and a school in Nasarawa State as fronts for subversive activities aimed at overthrowing the government. Adejobi stated that Povey, along with other suspects, was involved in orchestrating violent protests and received foreign funding to destabilize the country. He warned that Povey and his local collaborator, Lucky Ehis Obiyan, had fled the country and were now globally wanted.
This development comes amid heightened tension over the government’s handling of dissent and public protests, as well as the recently filed charges against ten #EndBadGovernance protesters, which have drawn international and local condemnation.
