Hunger Protest: FG To Arraign British National, Activists Today

The Federal Government is set to arraign some organizers of the recent hunger protest, including a British citizen, Andrew Wynne (aka Andrew Povich), before the Federal High Court in Abuja today.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, filed six counts against the defendants, accusing them of treason, destabilizing the country, intimidating the President, and destroying public property.

In the charge sheet marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the IG specifically accused the protesters of acting in concert and conspiring, with the intention to destabilise the country, to commit a felony, to wit: treason, between July 1 and August 4, 2024.

The #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria protests, which took place from August 1 to 10, were in response to economic hardship and the anti human policies of the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu.

According to figures revealed by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), on August 22, 2024, a total of 2,111 individuals were arrested during the 10-day  nationwide protests.

Falana added that out of the arrested suspects, a total of 1,403 had been arraigned in courts and remanded in prisons due to lack of legal representation.

In the charge sheet filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the Federal Government named the defendants as  Micheal Adaramoye (aka Lenin); Adeyemi  Ahayomi (aka Yomi); Suleiman Yakubu; Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo;  Angel  Innocent; Buhari Lawal; Mosiu Sadiq; Bashir Bello (aka Murtala);  Nursdeen Khamis; Abdulsalam Zubairu; Andrew Wynne (aka Andrew Povich); Lucky Obryan; Comrade Musa Abdollahi.

The IG specifically accused the protesters of acting in concert and conspiring, with the intention to destabilise the country, to commit a felony, to wit: treason, between July 1 and August 4, 2024.

Egbetokun said the offence was contrary to Section 95 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.

The IG also said, “Between 1 July 2024 and 4 August 2024, at Karshi Abuja FCT, within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilise Nigeria, (defendants) conspired together to commit felony, to wit: Inciting to mutiny and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”

The IG added that the protesters, between July 1, 2024, and August 10,  2024, in Abuja FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, in collaboration with Andrew  Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British Citizen, with the intent to destabilise  Nigeria, waged war against the state in order to intimidate or overawe the President by attacking and injuring police officers and burning police stations, High Court Complex, NCC Complex, Kano Printing Press, Government House Karo, Kadama Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings.

Egbetokun said the offence was contrary to Section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LEN 204.

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Also, the defendants were accused of collaborating with Wynne, a British Citizen, with the intent to destabilise Nigeria, incited disaffection to the government by inciting public disturbance while carrying placards with the inscription ‘end bad government’ and several other inscriptions to incite disaffection to the government.

The IG said they committed an offence contrary to Section 416 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.