Briton  accused of plotting against Tinubu criticizes arrest of protesters

Drew Povey, a British national accused of orchestrating a plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, has criticized the Nigerian government for targeting protesters instead of addressing the underlying grievances of the Nigerian people.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) recently declared Povey wanted, accusing him of establishing a network aimed at destabilizing the country.

On Monday, NPF spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi announced that Povey, who allegedly used aliases such as Andrew Wynne and Andrew Povish, was involved in subversive activities under the guise of running a bookshop and a school at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja.

According to Adejobi, Povey rented space at the NLC’s headquarters for his Iva Valley Bookshop and established the STARS of Nations Schools as fronts for his activities.

The police also accused Povey of issuing directives, funding, and operational guidance to achieve an unconstitutional regime change in Nigeria.

The allegations against Povey come in the wake of a 10-day nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest, which erupted due to growing economic hardship in the country.

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During the protests, which took place in early August, police raided the NLC headquarters in Abuja, arresting several individuals involved in the demonstrations.

The police also summoned Joe Ajaero, the NLC president, for questioning in connection with the protests.

In a statement issued on the letterhead of Iva Valley Books, Povey called for the immediate release of all detained #EndBadGovernance protesters, asserting that peaceful protest is not equivalent to treason. Povey accused the Nigerian government of resorting to repression instead of addressing the legitimate demands of its citizens.

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Povey highlighted the case of Eleojo Opaluwa, a former colleague of Ajaero and vice chair of the NLC in Kogi State, who has been detained for over four weeks without evidence.

According to Povey, Opaluwa was arrested based on a WhatsApp message he allegedly received after he had already been detained. Povey also criticized the police for detaining individuals based on weak evidence, such as their involvement in a WhatsApp group related to the protests.

Povey also accused the police of fabricating claims, including allegations that he had fled to Russia under the alias “Andrew Povich.”

He described the treatment of Yomi, an employee of Iva Valley Books who was detained in front of his family, as inhumane. Yomi was allegedly beaten and tortured for three days, with the only evidence against him being his involvement in designing protest flyers.

Povey called on the NLC to extend its protection beyond its president to all its officers, members, and the general public, emphasizing the need for solidarity in the face of what he described as a crackdown on dissent.

The situation remains tense as the Nigerian government continues to investigate the alleged plot while facing growing criticism over its handling of the protests.