Drew Povey, the Briton accused of inciting insurrection against President Bola Tinubu’s government, has called on the Nigerian authorities to refrain from treating protests as acts of treason.
In a statement responding to the allegations against him, Povey—whom the government claims also goes by the name Andrew Wynne denied any intent to destabilize the country. The Nigerian government has accused Povey of attempting to build a network of sleeper cells aimed at toppling the Tinubu administration and plunging the nation into chaos.
The authorities recently raided and sealed Povey’s bookshop, located at the Abuja headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress as part of their crackdown.
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Among the charges leveled against Povey is the claim that he supported #EndBadGovernance protesters with the intent to destabilize Nigeria. In a statement issued on his bookshop’s letterhead, Povey responded: “PROTEST IS NOT TREASON – release all the detainees! The mass protests over #EndBadGovernance and #EndHunger frightened the government. But rather than addressing the people’s demands, the government turned to repression.”
Povey’s message underscores the importance of recognizing peaceful protests as a legitimate expression of public sentiment, rather than a threat to national stability.
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