FG charges 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters with treason

.Court orders defendants to be remanded at Kuje, Suleja prisons

.Police declare Briton, Nigerian wanted for plotting to destabilise Tinubu’s govt

.Wanted Briton replies Police, says ‘I’m not a fugitive’

BY ANDREW OROLUA

Ten members of the #EndBadGovernance protesters were on Monday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja by the Federal Government on charges of attempt to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu between July 1 and August 4 this year.

The accused persons were said to have committed the treason offence during their one week nationwide protests when they allegedly levied war against Nigeria.

The offences were said to be contrary to sections 96, 410 and 413 of the Penal Code.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), who brought the charges against them, on behalf of the Federal Government, alleged that the accused persons broke into the Abacha Army Barracks and openly called on the military to take over the constitutional government of President Tinubu.

He also alleged that they attempted to force their way into the seat of power during which they allegedly burnt down police station and injured police officers.

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They were also said to have incited the Nigerian public against the government and destroyed several public properties comprising Police station, High Court complex and National Communication Commission (NCC) facilities.

Police also claimed that a 70- year old British citizen, Andrew Martin Wynne, now at large, was largely responsible for instigating mutiny against the Nigerian government.

The alleged offences were said to have been committed in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Gombe among others.

However, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them.

The accused persons are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello Nurudeen Khamis and Abduldalam Zubair.

Upon their denial of the allegations, Counsel for the IGP, Simon Lough, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), asked Justice Emeka Nwite to remand the accused persons in prison pending their trial.

However, counsel to the defendants moved oral applications for bail of the accused persons.

Marshall Abubakar, who stood for four of the defendants, cited authorities to justify his oral application for his bail, adding that the Federal High Court in the treasonable charges against a politician, MKO Abiola, allowed oral application and admitted him to bail.

Abubakar told Justice Emeka Nwite that his clients were presumed innocent in law until proved otherwise by the IGP, adding also that bail is Constitutional rights of the defendants.

Besides, the counsel submitted that the defendants had been held in custody for close to a month by police who he said, have completed investigation into the allegations against his clients before bringing them to court.

The lawyer assured the Judge that the defendants would not jump bail if granted and that they will also not tamper with witnesses in the matter.

Another lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, who appeared for three of the defendants, faulted the treason charges against the defendants, insisting that they only participated in lawful and legitimate protests against hardships facing them.

Adeyanju argued that police ought to have entered the locations of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists, arrest and charge them with treason offence instead of innocent protesters.

He drew the attention of the court to the proof of evidence attached to the charges, adding that no evidence pointed to the direction of treason, mutiny and incitement as alleged by police.

Insisting that bail is discretionary, Adeyanju pleaded with the Judge to exercise his discretion in favour of the defendants by admitting them to bail in liberal terms.

However, counsel to Police, Simon Lough SAN, vehemently objected to the bail requests on the ground of gravity of alleged offences the accused persons were charged with.

He specifically cited mutiny aimed at changing democratic government by force through incitement and involvement of a British national against the Nigerian nation.

In a brief reaction, Justice Nwite ordered that the defendants be remanded at Kuje prison in Abuja and Suleja prison in Niger State and adjourned ruling in their bail applications till September 11.

The Judge ordered that the nine male defendants are to remain in Kuje prison while the only female defendant said to be pregnant, Angel Love Innocent, was ordered to be taken to Suleja prison.

Justice Nwite said that he needed time to consult the retinue of authorities cited by lawyers to back up bail applications.

Although lawyers to the accused persons led by Marshall Abubakar had requested for police custody for their respective clients, Justice Emeka Nwite rejected the request and instead ordered that they be taken to prisons.

In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force has declared a British national, Andrew Wynne and one Lucky Ehis Obiyan wanted over alleged plot to undermine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change.

Police also said it has apprehended “ten other suspects and arraigned them before a competent court of law on, Monday, September 2, 2024, for Criminal Conspiracy, Terrorism Financing, Treasonable Felony, Subversion, and Cybercrime.

They include Angel Love Innocent (F), Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon (M), Michael Tobitoba Adaramoye aka Leni (M), Suleiman Yakubu (M), Buhari Lawal (M), Mosiu Sadiq (M), Abayomi Adeyemi (M), Abdulsalam Zubairu (M), Nuradeen Hamis (M), and Bashir Bello (M).”

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Abuja during an emergency press conference.

He added that the police had launched a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the foreign national and subversive elements plotting to undermine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change and orchestrated violence across the country.

He said: “Following extensive intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies, suspects apprehended received substantial financial backing from foreign sources to destabilise the country.

“Preliminary findings suggest they orchestrated and funded violent protests, disseminated false information, and engaged in other unlawful activities to create anarchy and justify their illegal plot to overthrow the democratically elected government.

“Investigations have identified a foreign mercenary, Andrew Wynne (also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey), a British national, who built a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos. He 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,” the Police said.

“Documentary evidence and confessions revealed that Andrew Wynne issued directives, monitored progress, and provided finance and operational guidance to achieve unconstitutional regime change in Nigeria.

“He mobilised and deployed several billions of naira to his Nigerian collaborators, urging them to incite the public to violently storm police facilities and military barracks, anticipating a bloodbath that would instigate international condemnation of the Nigerian government. These acts are in clear violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and other relevant laws.

“Since the commencement of investigations, Andrew Wynne has fled the country. He and one of his local coordinators, Lucky Ehis Obiyan, have been declared wanted, and a global hunt for them has commenced in connection with this investigation”.

The police said the acts committed by the suspects are in clear violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and other relevant laws.”

ACP Adejobi further explained that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, while condemning the activities of the group, has activated INTERPOL tools and other global policing networks to support ongoing domestic investigations aimed at locating and apprehending the suspects at large.

According to him, “The IGP assures the general public that the Force will leave no stone unturned in dealing with and bringing to justice any individual or group threatening our national security and peace or promoting any movement with the motive of truncating our democratic government through unconstitutional means.

“We recognize and remain committed to protecting citizens’ constitutionally guaranteed fundamental and democratic rights to peaceful assembly and free expression. However, we advise citizens to be wary of subversive elements who weaponize and commercialise protests for personal financial and ideological benefits.”

Adejobi, however, clarified that contrary to disinformation, the invitation extended to certain individuals within the NLC leadership had nothing to do with rights advocacy and activities of the Union leadership but was aimed at clarifying the relationship between the individuals and Andrew Wynne, who, in addition to plotting unconstitutional regime change, is also financing terrorism in Nigeria.

According to him, “Following the interaction between the police investigation team and the NLC President, there is now a clearer understanding of the focus of the ongoing police investigation and the depth of Andrew Wynne’s subversive network and activities.

“No nation will tolerate attempts by foreign elements to interfere in its internal affairs, threaten national security, and organise and fund local elements to instigate uprisings aimed at destabilising the country and engendering violent and unconstitutional regime change.”

The Inspector-General of Police has, however, appealed for the cooperation and support of all law-abiding citizens in the ongoing investigation and assured that anyone with information leading to the arrest of any of the suspects declared wanted would be appreciated and rewarded handsomely.

Meanwhile, the Briton, Andrew Wynne, wanted by the Nigeria Police for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has denied the allegation.

Wynne, who spoke on Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today from his base in the United Kingdom, said he was not aware he had been labelled a fugitive.

The rebuttal comes a few hours after the Nigeria Police placed a N20m bounty on him along with a Nigerian, Lucky Obiyan, who has been described as an accomplice.

Addressing journalists on Monday, the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, accused the Briton of building a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos.

But Wynee declared that he couldn’t have been scheming to destabilise the leadership of a country that accommodated him for 25 years.

He said: “I am not aware that I am a fugitive. I am not aware that I am running away from the law. I have been visiting Nigeria for 25 years and have had a bookshop in the NLC office right in the centre of Abuja for seven years. All that time, of course, the security forces have paid no interest in me.

“I have always had one nationality. The name on my passport is Andrew Wynne and I operate with a nickname. I think it really started as differentiating in the sense of the broad political education work that I do with the bookshop.

“I am more than happy to talk to the police and have a discussion on WhatsApp or Zoom. I am more than happy to go to London and meet with officials from the Nigerian High Commission. If they want to start a conversation, then I think that is more than adequate.”

Wynne’s wife (names withheld), who also spoke on the programme, distanced her husband from the alleged terror act, saying the allegation was deliberately concocted to witch-hunt him.