A British national, Andrew Wynne, declared wanted by the Nigeria Police, has expressed his refusal to surrender, citing fears for his life if he falls into the hands of Nigerian authorities. Wynne, along with a Nigerian, Lucky Obiyan, was declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force on Monday. The police placed a N20 million bounty on both individuals, accusing them of attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu by allegedly financing the recent #EndBadGovernance or #Hunger protests across Nigeria.
Wynne has firmly denied these accusations, stating that the Nigeria Police never officially invited him to clarify the situation or defend himself. However, in response to Wynne’s claims, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Muyiwa Adejobi, countered that Wynne had indeed been invited to cooperate with the investigation. According to Adejobi, the authorities had given him enough opportunities to present himself and defend his innocence but stressed that Wynne failed to do so.
In a statement made on Tuesday, Adejobi reaffirmed the police’s stance, saying, “We have already established offences against Andrew Wynne, and he has been declared wanted. His associates have been charged in court. As a leader, businessman, and the organiser behind these sleeper cells intended to destabilize Nigeria, Wynne should prove his leadership by coming forward to clear his name. If he claims innocence, why hide? Let him come and face the consequences of his actions like the others.” The Nigeria Police further stated that many of Wynne’s associates had already been apprehended and were cooperating with the investigation.
However, Wynne’s fear of surrendering to the Nigeria Police goes beyond simply being accused of a crime. In an interview conducted on Wednesday, Wynne opened up about the brutal experiences faced by some of his employees who had been detained by the Nigeria Police. One such case he mentioned was Yomi, an innocent worker at his bookshop, who was reportedly tortured for days by police officers after his arrest. Wynne expressed deep concerns that if he surrendered, he would face the same, if not worse, treatment.
Wynne, a 70-year-old man, highlighted that his fear is not just about enduring physical torture but about losing his life entirely. “The police claim that if I’m innocent, I should turn myself in, but look at what happened to Yomi. He’s completely innocent, yet he was tortured for three days. The police expect me to come back and face the same fate? I don’t think I would survive a year if I returned to Nigeria,” Wynne stated.
His deep mistrust of the Nigeria Police stems from what he believes to be unjust methods of interrogation and punishment inflicted on innocent individuals. Wynne strongly believes that if he hands himself over, it won’t just be a matter of defending his innocence, but a fight for his survival. As it stands, he remains firm in his decision not to return to Nigeria or engage with the Nigeria Police until he feels secure about his safety.