Andrew Wynne, a British national recently declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force, has said he will not turn himself in, citing fears for his life.
The police declared Wynne and a Nigerian, Lucky Obiyan, wanted on Monday, offering a N20 million bounty for their capture. They are accused of allegedly attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu by financing recent protests under the banners of #EndBadGovernance and #Hunger.
Wynne, however, has denied the allegations, accusing the police of not extending any formal invitation to him. In response, police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi insisted that Wynne had been given multiple opportunities to come forward and prove his innocence. “We have established offenses against him, and we have declared him wanted. His accomplices have already been charged in court. As a good leader, he should come out and clear his name,” Adejobi stated.
However, in an interview on Wednesday, Wynne expressed deep fear for his safety, claiming he would not survive if he surrendered to the police. He referenced the case of his employee, Yomi, who he said was tortured for three days after being arrested at a bookshop, stating that he would not allow the same fate to befall him.
“The police say if I am innocent, I should surrender. I am innocent. But look at what happened to Yomi, who is completely innocent and was tortured. If I return, I fear I would not survive. It’s not just fear of torture—it’s fear for my life. I don’t believe I would make it through the year if I surrendered to the Nigerian police,” Wynne, 70, remarked.
His refusal to surrender stems from concerns about police brutality, which he believes would put his life in grave danger if he returned to Nigeria.
