The Nigeria Police Force announced on Monday that British national Andrew Wynne, also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey, is now wanted for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The police revealed that a comprehensive investigation has been launched to probe the involvement of foreign mercenaries and other subversive elements in the plot against Nigeria’s democratically elected government.
Speaking at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, police spokesperson ASP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed that Wynne had rented a space at Labour House, Abuja, where he operated an establishment called ‘Iva Valley Bookshop’ and had also set up ‘STARS of Nations Schools’ as a front for his subversive activities.
“The Nigeria Police Force has initiated a detailed investigation into the actions of a foreign national and other subversive elements who are plotting to undermine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional means and orchestrating violence across the country,” Adejobi said.
He added that the investigation, supported by intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies, has already led to the arrest of nine suspects. These individuals allegedly received significant financial backing from foreign sources to destabilize the country.
“Preliminary findings indicate that they organized and funded violent protests, spread false information, and engaged in other unlawful activities aimed at creating chaos and justifying their illegal plot to overthrow the democratically elected government,” Adejobi continued.
The announcement follows the recent arrest of several Polish nationals by the Department of State Services (DSS) during a protest in Kano. Polish officials maintained that their citizens were not involved in the protest, where flags were displayed, but were in Kano for an exchange program at Bayero University. Despite this, the individuals were detained for several weeks before being released.
