“After 25 Years of Visiting Nigeria, Being Accused of Terrorism Is Bizarre” — NLC HQ Bookshop Owner, Drew Povey

In a recent interview with National Record, Drew Povey, the owner of Iva Valley Books—a bookstore located within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) headquarters in Abuja—voiced his disbelief and concern over being accused of terrorism by Nigerian security forces. The accusations came following a police raid on his bookshop on August 7, 2024, during which the shop was ransacked, and several items were confiscated.

Povey, who has been a frequent visitor to Nigeria for nearly 25 years, described the allegations as “very strange” and baseless. He recounted how he was informed of the raid by Chris Uyot, Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, who contacted him shortly after the police and security forces had conducted their operations. Povey expressed his disappointment at the authorities’ actions, noting that Iva Valley Books had operated openly and legally for almost seven years without any prior issues with law enforcement.

When asked about the reasons behind the raid, Povey said he was in a state of shock and disbelief. He found it inexplicable that, after so many years of regular visits to Nigeria, he would suddenly be labeled an international terrorist and a risk to the state. According to Povey, the police have not provided any concrete evidence to support their allegations, nor have they contacted him directly regarding the serious charges.

Povey’s partner, Helen Batubo, was also implicated in the allegations. She was invited by the police for questioning on charges of “criminal conspiracy, terrorism financing, treasonable felony, subversion, and cybercrime.” Povey believes that the charges against Batubo are equally unfounded and identical to those levied against NLC President Joe Ajaero, which he also considers inexplicable.

Despite the severity of the accusations, Povey has not been provided with any details or evidence from the police. He noted that the only communication he has had with the police was a brief WhatsApp exchange with a team leader at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), identified as Moshood. In this conversation, Povey expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation, provided that his partner and others connected to the case were not unlawfully detained.

The situation took an even more concerning turn when Povey learned that one of his employees, Yomi, who works for Iva Valley Books, had been detained illegally by the police. Yomi was reportedly beaten and held in chains, a treatment that Povey described as “barbaric.”

Povey also addressed rumors that he was being accused of involvement in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, a claim he dismissed as baseless. He clarified that while he had worked as a secondary school teacher in what is now Sudan, this was 45 years ago, and he has not returned to the country since then.

Despite the distressing circumstances, Povey noted that Iva Valley Books has received strong support from the NLC, various trade unions, and civil society organizations. These groups have expressed their embarrassment and concern over how an educational institution like Iva Valley Books has been treated by the authorities.