A British national, Drew Povey, has denied accusations by the Nigerian government that he is involved in a plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a strongly worded statement, Povey emphasized that peaceful protests should not be equated with treason, urging the Nigerian government to release all detainees connected with the recent protests against bad governance and hunger.
The Federal Government has accused Povey, who it also identified as Andrew Wynne, of building a “network of sleeper cells” with the aim of destabilising the country and toppling President Tinubu’s government.
These allegations stem from Povey’s alleged involvement in the organization of protests, which the government claims were intended to incite insurrection.
The government’s case against Povey escalated when security forces raided and sealed his bookshop, Iva Valley Books, located at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The raid was part of a broader crackdown on individuals and organizations linked to the protests.
In his statement, Povey vehemently denied the charges, arguing that the government’s response to the protests is an overreach that tramples on basic human rights.
“Protest is not treason – release all the detainees!” Povey’s statement read. He criticised the government for using repressive measures instead of addressing the legitimate concerns raised by the protesters.
“The mass protests over #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger frightened the government. But rather than addressing the peoples’ demands, the government turned to repression,” Povey said.
He highlighted the heavy-handed tactics used by security forces during the protests, claiming that approximately 40 people were killed by police and other security agencies, and thousands were arrested.
Among those arrested is Eleojo Opaluwa, a prominent labor organizer and Vice Chair of the NLC in Kogi State.
Opaluwa, who has been detained for over four weeks, is accused of receiving a WhatsApp message from another alleged protest leader, a charge Povey dismisses as baseless.
“The ten detainees have been accused of conspiracy to commit a range of serious crimes. However, they barely know each other.
“Five of them may have been members of a WhatsApp group set up to organize the protests in Abuja. But the other five are unknown to these comrades,” Povey explained.
He added that the charges against the detainees are weak and primarily based on their association with the protests.
Povey’s statement also shed light on the alleged mistreatment of one of his employees, Yomi, who was arrested in connection with the protests.
According to Povey, Yomi was arrested in front of his wife and three-year-old daughter, with police confiscating all their phones despite pleas from his wife who needed a phone to arrange for food.
Yomi was reportedly imprisoned illegally, held in chains, and subjected to beatings and torture for three days.
His only involvement in the protests, according to Povey, was designing flyers at the behest of his employer.
“Yomi, who works for Iva Valley Books, has, like the other detainees, been treated in a terribly inhumane manner,” Povey stated.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been vocal in its condemnation of the government’s actions, particularly regarding the charges against its president, Joe Ajaero, and other labor leaders.
The NLC has threatened a general strike to protect its members from what it describes as unjust persecution.