Andrew Wynne, a British citizen who was on Monday named as sponsor of the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria, has vehemently denied the treason charges leveled against him by the Nigerian government.
He has also accused the Nigerian Police Force of illegally invading his Abuja bookshop and stealing his granddaughter’s bicycle during a raid on the Labour House on July 7th.
Recall ‘The matrix‘ reports that the Nigerian Police Force issued a wanted notice for Wynne and his alleged accomplice, Lucky Obiyan, on Monday, offering a N20 million reward for their capture.
In a statement from the United Kingdom, Wynne condemned the actions of the Police, claiming that his support for peaceful protests against economic hardship in Nigeria does not constitute treason.
He maintained that he is not on the run and is willing to cooperate with authorities if presented with legitimate evidence.
Read Also: Wynne Denies Treason, Alleges Police Stole Granddaughter’s Bicycle
However, Wynne’s allegations against the Nigerian Police Force have taken a new stream. He claimed in a WhatsApp chat with Punch correspondents on Tuesday that the Nigerian Police Force had unjustly invaded his Abuja bookshop and stolen items.
“Yes, but as I am completely innocent, they have no evidence against me. The government just wants to blame me, as a foreigner, for the massive protests.
“They need to address the massive poverty that has got much worse in the last 15 months.
“I am concerned for the detainees who have been arrested and tortured. The NLC needs to take action to get them freed.
“I wrote to them on WhatsApp. They started talking but asked me no questions and then stopped. I have not committed any crime, and the police know that. They took all my books from Iva Valley Bookshop, they ransacked my home and stole my granddaughter’s bicycle, and yet they still found no evidence.”
He said, “He (Wynne) has been contacted several times. He has been so faceless. We went to invade that bookshop. As we asked questions, he came out. If you have a genuine business, are you not going to ask the police what we went to do in his shop or his office?
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“Up till now, he has not shown up. We have been able to trace his private school. We visited his school; has he shown up? We have interrogated staff and people working with him. Has he shown up? So where is he, and why is he hiding and speaking from hiding, and why does he have no case to answer?
“As I said, it is not a subject of debate or argument. We have done what we should as a responsible security institution.”
In a WhatsApp conversation with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, the Briton accused the Nigeria Police of unjustified invasion of his bookshop and accused the police of theft.
“Yes, but as I am completely innocent, they have no evidence against me. The government just wants to blame me, as a foreigner, for the massive protests. They need to address the massive poverty that has got much worse in the last 15 months.
“I am concerned for the detainees who have been arrested and tortured. The NLC needs to take action to get them freed.
“I wrote to them on WhatsApp. They started talking but asked me no questions and then stopped. I have not committed any crime, and the police know that. They took all my books from Iva Valley Bookshop, they ransacked my home and stole my granddaughter’s bicycle, and yet they still found no evidence.”
Read Also: #EndBadGovernance Protest: Govt Remands Over 1,000 Youths In Prison, Says Amnesty International
Howeve, the Nigerian Police Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, challenged Andrew Wynne to come forward and face the charges against him, asserting that Wynne’s claims of innocence are baseless.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Adejobi stated that the police had located a school owned by Wynne in Nigeria and questioned staff members.
Additionally, Adejobi urged Wynne to step up and defend his alleged supporters who are currently in police custody..
He said, “He (Wynne) has been contacted several times. He has been so faceless. We went to invade that bookshop. As we asked questions, he came out. If you have a genuine business, are you not going to ask the police what we went to do in his shop or his office?
“Up till now, he has not shown up. We have been able to trace his private school. We visited his school; has he shown up? We have interrogated staff and people working with him. Has he shown up? So where is he, and why is he hiding and speaking from hiding, and why does he have no case to answer?
“As I said, it is not a subject of debate or argument. We have done what we should as a responsible security institution.”
Read Also: PDP Govs Call For Speedy, Free, Fair Trial Of Arrested #EndBadGovernance Protesters
Adejobi insisted that some offences had been established against Wynne, adding that his accomplices had been arraigned in court.
He said, “We have established an offence or offences against him, and we have even declared him wanted. His accomplices have been charged in court.
“Let him come out. At least those people worked for him. As a good leader, a businessman, and a smart man who mobilised and organised sleeper cells to cause problems in Nigeria, he should have come out as a good leader and proven to his followers that he was a good leader. Let him come and meet us.”
The police spokesperson stated that the Zoom interrogation proposed by Andrew Wynne would not be considered due to the severity of the charges against him.
He said, “We have questions to ask him. This is a guy who has been travelling out of Nigeria frequently. Why is it difficult for him to come down? Who is going to take a Zoom meeting for a suspect in this kind of offence? No.
“Let him come. I am still calling him again. Let him come. Suppose he’s a good man. If he is a genuine businessman in Nigeria, let Andrew Wynne report to the police so that he can come and clear some grey areas.”
