Court orders arrest of Briton, two Nigerians

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a warrant for the arrest of a British citizen, Andrew Wynne, and two Nigerians earlier declared wanted by the Nigerian police for allegedly plotting an insurrection against Nigeria.

The Nigerians also ordered arrested by the court are Lucky Obiyan and Abdullahi Musa.

The judge, Emeka Nwite, issued the order on Tuesday following an ex-parte application by the police.

Mr Wynne and the two others have become key targets in President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s sweeping crackdown on activists and others linked to the recent #EndBadGovernance protests.

The police, through their spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, accused Mr Wynne (also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey), in a statement on Monday, of building “a network of sleeper cells to topple” the Bola Tinubu administration “and plunge the nation into chaos.”

The police declared Mr Wynne wanted, saying he “has fled the country.”

Mr Adejobi said Mr Wynne “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.”

Also, on Monday, the government arraigned 10 Nigerians who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and other states. Part of the charges against them was that they collaborated with the 70-year-old Briton “with intent to destabilise Nigeria” and that they “called on the military to take over the government from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” They were also accused of conspiring with Mr Wynee to plot a war against the Nigerian state.

The judge, Mr Nwite, ordered the remand of the 10 defendants in prison till 11 September set to deliver a ruling on their bail application.

Earlier on 22 August, the ordered the remand of 75 protesters, including at least 28 minors, in prison for two months to await police investigations into alleged terrorism-related offences.

Tuesday’s hearing

On Tuesday, Audu Garba, a police lawyer, moved the ex parte application for a warrant for Mr Wynne’s arrest at the Federal High Court.

The PUNCH reported that the lawyer urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice.

He told the judge the court order would enable all police officers in the country and other security agencies to use their mechanisms to secure the lawful arrest of the fleeing defendants.

He said the defendants, who were on the run, were involved in the case of conspiracy, treason, inciting to mutiny, inciting disaffection to government and terrorism, among others.

The lawyer said the defendants’ actions were against sections 97, 410, 413, 416, and 412 of the Penal Code, Northern States Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 2004.

An affidavit filed to support the ex parte application echoed many of the claims in the charges filed against the 10 protesters arraigned, which the police spokesperson reeled out against Mr Wynee on Monday.

The affidavit said investigations had shown so far conducted that the fleeing defendants were allegedly responsible for planning and coordinating the invasion and burning down of the High Court Complex, the office of the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Printing Press – all in Kano State, among others.

Mr Garba said others who were on the run were being tracked, hence the need for the application for a warrant for their arrest.

Mr Nwite ruled that the application was meritorious and went on to grant the prayers of the Nigerian police.

Briton dismisses police’s claims

Mr Wynee dismissed the police’s claims against him in a statement on Monday,

In his statement on the letterhead of his bookshop, Mr Wynne said the mass protests over #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger frightened the government.

READ ALSO: #EndBadGovernance: Court remands 10 protesters in prison over treasonable felony charges

“But rather than addressing the people’s demands, the government turned to repression,” he said.

He recalled that about 40 people “were murdered by the police and other the security forces, thousands were arrested and many still remain in captivity.”

“In Abuja, the authorities have attacked the so-called leaders and organisers of the protests. Ten people face ridiculous charges, including treason, mutiny and levying war against the state,” he stated.