A British national, Andrew Wynne, who has been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force, has stated he will not surrender, citing fears for his life if he does. The police had accused Wynne of attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu by allegedly financing recent protests against the government.
On Monday, the police declared Wynne and a Nigerian, Lucky Obiyan, wanted, placing a N20 million bounty on their heads. The duo is accused of backing the #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger protests that have swept across the country.
In response, Wynne denied the allegations, claiming that he had not been formally invited by the police to address the accusations. However, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi refuted Wynne’s claim, stating that the police had made several attempts to reach him and offered him ample opportunity to prove his innocence.
“We have established offences against him, and he has been declared wanted. His accomplices have been charged in court. Let him come out. As a good leader and businessman who mobilized sleeper cells to cause problems in Nigeria, he should come and prove his innocence,” Adejobi said in a statement on Tuesday.
Despite this, Wynne remains adamant that he cannot return to Nigeria due to the violent treatment he fears he would face. Speaking to a reporter on Wednesday, Wynne referred to the case of his employee, Yomi, who he claimed was brutally tortured for days by the police following his arrest at a bookshop.
Wynne, 70, expressed concern that he would not survive a similar ordeal if he turned himself in. “The police say if I am innocent, I should give myself up. I am innocent. But should I surrender and be tortured, like Yomi was?” Wynne questioned.
“My fear is not just about torture or being beaten up by the police—it’s for my life. I don’t think I would survive the year if I came back to Nigeria,” he added.
Wynne’s refusal to surrender has sparked increased tension, with authorities maintaining their stance that he must come forward to face justice, while the British national insists that doing so would lead to his demise.
