Andrew Wynne, a British national who has been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government, has publicly denied the accusations against him.
In an exclusive interview with Channels Television, Wynne stated that he is not evading the law and expressed his willingness to cooperate with Nigerian authorities.
Wynne, who has been visiting Nigeria for 25 years and operated a bookshop at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja for the past seven years, said he was unaware of being labeled a fugitive.
He expressed his readiness to speak with the Nigerian police, either through a virtual meeting or in person at the Nigerian High Commission in London.
“I am not aware that I am a fugitive, I am not aware that I am running away from the law,” Wynne said.
“I am more than happy to talk with the police… If they want to start a conversation then I think that is more than adequate.”
Wynne’s Nigerian wife also spoke to Channels Television, claiming that her husband is being falsely accused due to a personal vendetta.
She alleged that a Nigerian individual, who owes her husband money, is trying to have Wynne expelled from the country to avoid repaying the debt.
She emphasized that her husband has never been involved in terrorism or any plot to destabilize the Nigerian government.
In contrast, the Nigeria Police Force, represented by spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, has accused Wynne of orchestrating a network of sleeper cells to create chaos and overthrow the government.
According to Adejobi, Wynne rented space at the NLC headquarters under the guise of running a bookshop and establishing a school, but these were allegedly fronts for his subversive activities.
The police claim that Wynne, along with his local coordinator, Ehis Obinyan, fled the country after the investigation began.
Adejobi also reported that nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the alleged plot, all of whom received substantial foreign financial backing to destabilize Nigeria.
The police are now seeking international assistance to apprehend Wynne and Obinyan, who have both been declared wanted.
Wynne’s case has garnered significant attention due to the serious nature of the allegations and the involvement of a foreign national in what the police describe as an attempt to incite violence and unlawfully overthrow a democratically elected government.