The police accused the British national of building a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said Wynne rented a space at Labour House and established a school to serve as a decoy.

He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has launched a comprehensive investigation into the activities of foreign national and subversive elements plotting to undermine the democratically elected government in Nigeria through unconstitutional regime change and orchestrating violence across the country.

“Following extensive intelligence gathering and collaboration with other security agencies, nine suspects have been apprehended, who received substantial financial backing from foreign sources to destabilise the country.

“Preliminary findings suggest they orchestrated and funded violent protests, disseminated false information, and engaged in other unlawful activities to create anarchy and justify their illegal plot to overthrow the democratically elected government.

“Investigations have identified a foreign mercenary, Andrew Wynne (also known as Andrew Povich or Drew Povey), a British national, who built a network of sleeper cells to topple the government and plunge the nation into chaos. He rented space at Labour House, Abuja, for an ‘Iva Valley Bookshop’ and established ‘STARS of Nations Schools’ as a cover for his subversive activities.”

Adejobi said documentary evidence and confessions revealed that Wynne provided finance and operational guidance to allegedly topple an elected government in the country.

He said, “Documentary evidence and confessions revealed that Andrew Wynne issued directives, monitored progress, and provided finance and operational guidance to achieve unconstitutional regime change in Nigeria.

“He mobilised and deployed several billions of naira to his Nigerian collaborators, urging them to mobilise the public to violently storm police facilities and military barracks, anticipating a bloodbath that would instigate international condemnation of the Nigerian government. These acts are in clear violation of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 and other relevant laws,” the FPRO added.

Adejobi said Wynne and his local coordinator, Obiyan, had fled the country.

He said, “Since the commencement of investigations, Andrew Wynne has fled the country. He and one of his local coordinators, one Lucky Ehis Obiyan, have accordingly been declared wanted, and global hunting for them has commenced in connection with this investigation.”

The Police said it has conducted a comprehensive review of the issuance of tinted glass permits.

Previously banned in June 2022, the NPF said the ban then was a proactive move to bolster national security and tackle criminal activities linked to the misuse of tinted glasses.

A Thursday statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed that ICT Analysts and Enforcement Officers nationwide will undergo a comprehensive training scheduled for the 29th of February, 2024, as a prequel to the reopening of tinted glass permit issuance.

It read, “In a bid to enhance national security and curb criminal activities facilitated by the misuse of tinted glass, the Nigeria Police Force has concluded its review of the issuance of tinted glass permits, previously banned in June 2022.

“The ban was initiated due to widespread concerns regarding the role of tinted glass in aiding heinous crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, the illegal transportation of firearms, human trafficking, etc.

“With the proposed lifting of the ban, stringent measures are being implemented to prevent abuse and ensure strict compliance with guidelines governing the issuance and use of tinted glass permits.

ICT Analysts and Enforcement Officers nationwide will undergo a comprehensive training scheduled for the 29th of February, 2024, as a prequel to the reopening of tinted glass permit issuance.”

This is coming a week after the Force denied withdrawing mobile police force from top personalities in the country after a leaked memo stated so.

In the aftermath of the denial, there were insinuations in some quarters that the police lacked the will to implement the policy.

However, reacting in a statement on Monday, the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the decision of the police on the withdrawal remained unchanged.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby addresses recent news circulating regarding the possible reversal of the PMF reform policy and the decision of acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw Police Mobile Force personnel from certain important personalities.

“The Force wishes to clarify that the decision to withdraw PMF personnel from escort and guard duties stands firm. There will be no going back on this critical policy change,” Adejobi said.

He added that the withdrawal process had started with a report by the committee set up on the implementation of the policy.

“The decision to withdraw Police Mobile Force personnel from VIP duties is part of ongoing efforts to optimise the allocation of resources and enhance the efficiency of the Nigeria Police Force in its core mandate of safeguarding the lives and properties of all citizens.

“While poised to ensure a smooth transition, the Nigeria Police Force is committed to providing adequate security arrangements for VIPs who are entitled to such protection,” the police spokesman added.

The police said any threat to life was a criminal offence, adding that the Electoral Act is also clear on the appropriate punishment prescribed for election-related crimes.

The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi stated this on Sunday against the backdrop of online bullying and violent verbal exchange between the supporters of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and the Labour Party flagbearer, Peter Obi.

A report had alleged that the Ghanaian President, Nana Akufo-Addo advised Tinubu to seek medical care and give the LP presidential candidate the chance to rule, but the Ghana High Commissioner in Nigeria, Abdulrashid Bawa, had since denied the report in a statement.

The High Commissioner described the report as false and misleading, adding that the Ghanaian leader did not write such a letter to the APC leader.

A viral video of the Pyrates Confraternity in which the members were mocking a leading presidential candidate in a song also attracted anger and condemnations across the country.

Similarly, there has been increased cyber bullying on social media and attacks by over-zealous presidential candidates’ supporters sparking anxiety that this might culminate in electoral violence during the campaigns which would kick off in September.

This is happening as findings by The PUNCH indicate that no fewer than 27 persons were killed in 28 separate incidents of electoral violence in the country in the past seven months.

But stressing that the police would not take lightly the violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act, Adejobi advised anyone who felt threatened to report to the police for necessary action.

He stated, “Threats to life is a criminal offence, and everyone has the right to take up cases against anyone who threatens their life or engages in an act capable of making their life precarious, or causing a problem in the country. Hence, whosoever feels threatened is at liberty to approach the police formally, for necessary action.

“The Electoral Act is clear on electoral offences and appropriate punishments. Also, our criminal laws can be applied in handling election-related crises. We have our laws and we are duty-bound to enforce them at all times.

“While we urge all political actors to be law-abiding and desist from violating the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, we will always engage relevant stakeholders, especially politicians, in deliberations, from time to time, on how to have a seamless exercise in 2023.”

The unit, which was established in 2015 to receive complaints from citizens against erring policemen, stated in a report, obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, that no fewer than 11,567 complaints have been resolved, and over 258 officers have been punished.

It noted that 31 policemen have been dismissed while eight others are undergoing orderly room trials.

The unit added a total of N55.6m was recovered and returned to their owners between 2015 and 2021.

In 2021 alone, the unit said it received a total of 1,244 complaints against policemen nationwide.

It added that out of the complaints, 876 had been resolved, 351 are currently being investigated and 25 of the complaints, after investigations, were found to be false.

The unit also noted that in 2021, the Lagos State Police Command recorded the highest number of cases with 327 complaints, followed by the Federal Capital Territory Command which had 210. Delta State Command recorded 85 complaints while Rivers State Command ranked fourth with 80 complaints.

The document read in part, “Commands/formations with the highest cases of professional misconduct in Nigeria are state headquarters in Rivers State with 16 cases; Federal Headquarters (15); Abattoir in FHQ (15); FCT Command (13); Ikeja in Lagos (9); Alagbon in Lagos (5) Maitama Division in FCT (4); Kubwa Division in FCT (4); FESTAC Division in Lagos State (4) and Chouba Area Command in Rivers State (4).

“The Rivers State Command headquarters recorded the highest cases of demanding money for bail, while the top four formations accused of demanding money for bail were recorded in Rivers State. This indicates the need for review of leadership in these formations.

“The Rivers State Command headquarters recorded the most excessive use of force complaints nationwide, followed by the Meiran Division and state headquarters, Lagos, then FCT.”

The Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, commended the unit, adding that the report would help the police to take necessary action to cleanse the force.

He said, “First of all, this would be the first time that the CRU would be publishing and presenting its quarterly report publicly. It is a testament to how transparent and accountable the CRU is under its current leadership.

“You could see that Rivers State has the highest number of complaints.  This should send a message to the Rivers State police authorities to look inwards and address this bad record.

“For states that recorded low numbers, it is also important to find out whether this is an indication of low levels of misconduct by police personnel in those states, or low levels of awareness about the CRU or lack of knowledge of how to report complaints.”

The Chairman, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, urged the unit to do more of this to help the police redeem its stained image.

He said, “They are on the right track, not minding the amount being recovered among others. That they recognised that their personnel engage in corrupt practices and other unethical practices is commendable.

“This would make other personnel with the mindset to abuse their position to have a rethink. In general, we need more of this for them to redeem their battered image and restore confidence of the populace in the NPF. We urge them to step up and improve on this internal cleansing.”

Robbers, last May, had invaded the residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja and the incident was confirmed by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, though he said it was “a foolish attempt”.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the incompetence of the security agents and their failure to arrest the Aso Rock burglars has buoyed burglars and bandits so much so that they sacked Abuja villagers and cause dwellers to flee their homes despite living in the seat of power, kilometres away from President Muhammadu Buhari.

The group also cited the kidnappings, killings and disturbing attacks that had occurred in Abuja in the last one year including the attack and abduction of two Abuja-based journalists of PUNCH Newspapers, Solomon Odeniyi and Amarachi Orjiude, within 24-hours last March; the attack on the Abuja Bureau Chief of the Nigerian Tribune, Leon Usigbe, also in March 2022, the abduction of a PUNCH journalist, Okechukwu Nnodim, in February 2021; amongst numerous others that went unreported in the media.

HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is shameful and a pointer to the inefficiency of all the security agents that one year after daring burglars invaded the residence of a whole Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, a street to that of the President in Aso Villa, the police, the DSS, the Army and others are yet to fish out the perpetrators. Or have they gotten the so-called burglars but failed to revert to Nigerians about the development?

“The whole security architecture is also yet to be ascertained how armed robbers gained access into the ‘well-fortified’ Presidential Villa manned by a combined team of policemen, DSS operatives, and men of the Presidential Guards Brigade of the Nigeria Army. Sadly, till date, this invasion has yet to be resolved.

“Contrastively, more than 725 people have been arrested for storming the United State Capitol building on January 6, 2021. Over 71 rioters have also received criminal sentences, while the rest are waiting for their trials or haven’t yet reached plea agreements for charges ranging from obstruction of an official proceeding to assault.

The continuous state of insecurity in Nigeria and the shameless incapacity of the security agencies to secure even the FCT is now obvious. If the security agents cannot even secure Aso Villa and the FCT which is about the smallest state if we take it to be a state and the seat of national power, then the hope of the common man is quashed.

“It’s pathetic that FCT residents now flee to the central business district of Abuja over attacks and invasion by marauding bandits in communities outside of the Central Areas of the metropolis.The Buhari regime must wake up and proffer radical solutions to the insecurity situation in the country.Nigerians must also demand accountability from the security agencies because defence sector got the largest chunk of budget this year. why is nobody being punished for failing to safeguard lives of Nigerians despite that the cardinal role of the government is the security of lives and property? Enough is enough.”

Before going at large, Ms Onyia had been running MECO Enterprises, a sole proprietorship she registered in September 2018, according to companies registration filings. She also ran IBC Africa, an investment firm, and the eponymous Muna Investment, a Ponzi scheme through which she allegedly swindled unsuspecting investors.

A warrant of arrest issued for Onyia by the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court and seen by The Gazette said she is wanted for obtaining money under false pretence and pretending to be a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“She is wanted by the police for the offence of obtaining Money under False Pretence the suspect falsely claimed to be a CBN Agent and obtained over one Billion Naira (N1B),” a notice issued by the Interpol section of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos said.

The Lagos State Police Command also arrested Silas Babatunde, a marketing executive who was with Guarantee Trust Bank at the time of the fraud. The police are looking into whether or not Mr Babatunde acted alone or with the knowledge and approval of his superiors at the bank, The Gazette learnt.

A representative of GTB confirmed to The Gazette that Mr Babatunde was a staff of the bank, but failed to disclose when and why he ceased to be a staff of the top financial services provider.

CHIVE GPS, an intelligence research analysis firm based in Lagos, initiated the petition on behalf of the victims. Many of the victims said they have been extorted repeatedly by the police and other law enforcement agencies while the principals in the fraud remain at large.

At a meeting of victims held in Ikoyi two weeks ago, victims said Ms Onyia duped them to the tune of N5.3 billion, according to attendees who shared the outcome of the meeting with The Gazette this week. They also alleged that Ms Onyia had been on the run and was looking for ways to circumvent justice and reparation.

The plaintiff in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020, urged the court to restrain the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation and their various panels of enquiry from going ahead with the probe focussing on police impunity.

The defendants, totalling 104, who were sued by the NPF, comprised the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission which set up the Independent Investigative Panel sitting in Abuja, the Attorneys-General of the states, and chairmen of the states’ panels.

The decision to set up the various panels of enquiry was taken by the National Economic Council with members including the 36 state governors and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in the aftermath of the recent nationwide #EndSARS protests demanding an end to police brutality.

The NPF, through their lawyer, Mr O. M. Atoyebi (SAN), argued in the fresh suit that the state governments lacked the power to constitute the panels to investigate activities of the police force and its officials in the conduct of their statutory duties.

According to the plaintiff, the state governments’ decision to set up such panels violated the provisions of section 241(1)(2)(a) and Item 45, Part 1, First Schedule to the Constitution and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act.

It argued that by virtue of the provisions of 241(1)(2)(a) and Item 45, Part 1, First Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution only the Federal Government had exclusive power to “organise, control and administer the Nigeria Police Force”

It, therefore, urged to, among others, declare that “the establishment of a panel of enquiries by the governors of the various states of the federation of Nigeria, to inquire into the activities of the Nigeria Police Force in relation to the discharge of her statutory duties is a gross violation of the provisions of Section 241 (1)(2) (a) and Item 45, Part 1, First schedule, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, Cap.T21, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

The plaintiff also urged the court to declare that “having regard to the circumstances of this case, the attitude of the governors of the various states of the Federation of Nigeria, in this case, is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever”.

It sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd to 38th defendants (the state Attorneys-General of the 36 states) “from making or conducting any investigations, sittings, and inquiries and/or from making or conducting any further investigations, sittings and inquiries in respect of matters affecting the Nigeria Police Force, and or further setting up any panel of inquiry in any state whatsoever in the country

The driver and the owner of the vehicle were arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Kaduna State on four counts of causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, driving without a driving licence and driving without authorisation of the owner, and one count charge of negligent conduct while causing danger to person and property.

The suspects, Nehemiah Adejo and David Adejo, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were however granted bail with the sum of N1 million each.

The defendants were also ordered by the court to produce two sureties each, who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court and are engaged in legal businesses and present a Bank Verification Number that corresponds with their information.

Consequently, the Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Benjamin, adjourned the case till August 24 and 25.

The prosecution counsel had earlier prayed that the court to allow Nehemiah to be remanded, arguing that there is a pending investigation of culpable homicide against him.

But Nehemiah’s Counsel, Aliyu Omachi, argued for bail on the basis that his client was a first time offender and had spent more than 4 weeks in detention.

The late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile was killed in a freak accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna and following the incident, three suspects were subsequently arrested.

The Nigerian Air Force had in line with extant laws handed over the three persons who were involved in the accident that led to the death of Flying Officer Arotile to the Nigeria Police, saying it is a civil case.

Kaduna State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Muhammad Jalige said the case of alleged culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy against the three occupants of the vehicle was still under investigation.

Wadume’s confession corroborates the statement released by the Nigeria Police Force on August 7th in which it accused the soldiers of killing the policemen that effected the arrest of Wadume.

Speaking in Hausa, Wadume who was arrested in Kano yesterday August 19th, said “I am Hamisu Bala also known as Wadume. The police came to Ibi and arrested me. After arresting me, they were taking away when soldiers went after them and opened fire and some policemen were killed. From there the soldiers took me to their headquarters and cut off the handcuffs on my hands and I ran away”