The British national recently declared wanted by the Nigerian Police, Andrew Wynne, has stated that he will not turn himself in, citing fears that he would be tortured or killed if he surrenders.
Bellnews reports that Wynne, along with Nigerian citizen, Lucky Obiyan, are accused of allegedly attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu by funding recent protests against bad governance in the country.
The police have placed a ₦20 million bounty on both men.
Wynne has categorically denied the allegations and claimed that the Nigerian police never extended a formal invitation for him to address the charges.
Despite this, the Nigerian Police, through their spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, maintained that Wynne had been given multiple opportunities to come forward and prove his innocence.
“We have established an offence or offences against him (Wynne), and we have even declared him wanted. His accomplices have been charged in court. Let him come out. At least those people worked for him.
“As a good leader, a businessman, and a smart man who mobilised and organised sleeper cells to cause problems in Nigeria, he should have come out as a good leader and proven to his followers that he was a good leader. Let him come and meet us,” Adejobi said on Tuesday.
However, in an interview with The Punch on Wednesday, Wynne expressed deep concerns for his safety, referencing the case of his employee, Yomi, who he says was subjected to severe torture after being arrested.
Wynne believes the same fate would await him if he were to surrender to Nigerian authorities.
“The police say, if I am innocent I should give myself up. I am innocent. Like Yomi, for example, Yomi is completely innocent, give myself up and be tortured’
“I mean, it’s beyond fear, isn’t it? Yomi is my son and he’s completely innocent and was tortured for three days.
“And the police expect me to come back to Nigeria and be tortured? My fear is I would not be alive. It’s not about fear of torture and being beaten up by the police, it’s fear for my life. I don’t think I would survive the year if I came back to Nigeria,” said Wynne, a 70-year-old businessman.