British national Drew Povey, accused by the Nigerian government of inciting insurrection against President Bola Tinubu, has fiercely criticized the administration for equating protests with treason. Povey, who the Nigerian authorities also identify as Andrew Wynne, responded to the grave allegations with a bold statement, urging the government to respect the right to peaceful protest.
The Nigerian government has accused Povey of orchestrating a plot to destabilize the nation, alleging that he built a “network of sleeper cells” aimed at toppling the Tinubu administration. This accusation has led to a crackdown on Povey’s operations in Nigeria, including the raid and closure of his Iva Valley Bookshop, located at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement issued on the letterhead of his bookshop, Povey condemned the government’s actions, asserting that peaceful protests should not be treated as acts of treason. “PROTEST IS NOT TREASON – release all the detainees!” the statement began, highlighting the government’s fear of the #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger protests that shook the nation.
Povey accused the government of responding to the protests with brutal repression instead of addressing the legitimate demands of the people. “Perhaps 40 people were murdered by the police and other security forces, thousands were arrested, and many still remain in captivity,” he claimed. Povey also noted that 10 individuals are facing severe charges, including treason, mutiny, and levying war against the state.
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The statement further revealed that the NLC had promised a general strike to protect its President, Joe Ajaero, from arrest and detention on similar charges. Povey urged the trade union movement to extend this protection to other detainees and the general public, warning that without intervention, those accused could face lengthy prison sentences based on flimsy evidence.
Povey detailed the case of Eleojo Opaluwa, a former colleague of NLC President Ajaero and a key figure in the protests, who has been detained for over four weeks with no substantial evidence. He also highlighted the inhumane treatment of other detainees, including Yomi, an employee of Iva Valley Books, who was reportedly beaten and tortured after being arrested in front of his family.
Povey’s statement concluded with a call for the NLC to use its influence to protect not only its leaders but also the broader public from what he described as government overreach and injustice. He emphasized the need for solidarity in the face of repression and urged the Nigerian government to stop treating dissent as a criminal act.
