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POLICE ARREST NLC BOOKSHOP EMPLOYEE OVER ALLEGED LINKS TO HUNGER PROTESTS
The Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) on Monday evening arrested Adeyemi Abayomi Abiodun, an employee of Iva Valley Bookshop, in a continued crackdown linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The bookshop, located at Labour House in Abuja and run by Mr Drew Povey, has recently been under scrutiny by security operatives.
According to sources close to the situation, the IRT team apprehended Abiodun around 6 p.m. on Monday.
The arrest followed a day-long pursuit by the police, who had initially detained two individuals in an attempt to locate Abiodun.
The operatives eventually released the first two detainees after identifying Abiodun, whom they subsequently arrested. The police confiscated Abiodun’s laptop and also took away his wife’s phone during the operation.
This arrest comes in the wake of an earlier police raid last Wednesday on the home of Drew Povey, the owner of Iva Valley Books, in connection with allegations of terrorism financing and links to the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The protests have garnered significant attention, with authorities accusing various individuals and organizations of involvement in activities deemed subversive to the Nigerian government.
The crackdown on individuals linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests has intensified recently.
In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order freezing the bank accounts of 32 individuals and companies allegedly linked to the protests.
Among those affected was Abiodun, whose account was frozen following the court’s ruling. The court directed banks to place a Post-No-Debit (PND) order on the accounts and to cooperate with police authorities in detaining anyone found transacting on the affected accounts.
The Iva Valley Bookshop, a not-for-profit initiative established in 2017, has been a focal point in the ongoing investigation.
The bookshop, which operates within the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) building, offers a collection of books on trade unionism, environmentalism, feminism, and other social issues.
It has also served as a resource centre for trade unionists and civil society members, offering books at modest prices and providing business centre services primarily to pensioners.
During last week’s raid, security agents reportedly seized all the books and other materials, claiming they were being used to incite and organize the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Sources familiar with the situation told Sahara Reporters that the accusations are unfounded, with the bookshop maintaining that it operates openly and within the bounds of the law.
