Fresh details have continued to complicate the online storm surrounding human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, following new assertions credited to his lawyer amid investigations into a ransom-delivery operation in Edo State.

The latest twist emerged after Ossai Ovie Success, Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor, shared an account on his Facebook page reportedly obtained from Gwamnishu’s lawyer. The narrative comes at a time when social media has been awash with accusations, counter-accusations, unverified confessions, and claims that the activist diverted money meant to be paid as ransom for the rescue of kidnapped victims.

Recall that since Thursday, Nigerian social media spaces, particularly X (formerly Twitter), have been saturated with allegations that Gwamnishu “ran away” with part of a ransom reportedly paid for the release of a pregnant woman kidnapped with her husband in Edo State. The victim’s relative had claimed the activist withheld part of the ransom, setting off widespread outrage.

Gwamnishu, in a brief rebuttal, denied stealing funds and insisted he voluntarily submitted himself to the Police. Yet, the online debate intensified, with several users demanding his prosecution while others accused his detractors of running a coordinated smear campaign.

Lawyer’s Account

According to the detailed narration shared by Ossai, the lawyer explained that Gwamnishu’s method of tracking kidnappers involves mixing ransom cash with prototype look-alike money into which a tracking chip is inserted.

The lawyer reportedly told Ossai that real cash is partly replaced with prototype notes because the chip cannot be inserted into actual currency.

The removed cash, he claimed, is usually returned to the victim’s family after a successful rescue.

A relative of the abducted couple was allegedly present during the preparation of the ransom money but later denied seeing the process.

The account further alleged that during the midnight delivery of the ransom in the bush, masked bandits collected the money and released only the pregnant woman, leaving her husband still in captivity.

Another claim from the lawyer is that after the operation, Gwamnishu accompanied the family to the Auchi Police Station. When confronted about the reduced money, he allegedly explained his tracking procedure and later handed over the removed cash to the Police before leaving town.

He was said to have voluntarily visited the Edo State Police Command (SCID) in Benin for further clarification.

According to the lawyer, officers requested that he “act as though he was returning the money” for photographic documentation. The Police allegedly prepared a search warrant claiming the cash was recovered from his hotel room, an assertion the lawyer reportedly rejected. This disagreement allegedly led to Gwamnishu being detained.

The narrative insists that the widely circulated claim of a 14-day detention order “never happened.”

The lawyer further claimed the tracking chip inside the prototype money remains active and that Gwamnishu is “willing to assist the Police” in tracing the kidnappers’ location and securing the release of the remaining victim.

The account questioned why attention has shifted to the activist rather than moving into the bush to rescue the abducted man, stressing that the N5.4 million in question is already with the police.

The statement also insinuated that “bad blood” between Gwamnishu and “some powers that be” may be fuelling the current online rage, noting that the activist is being judged harshly because of his past controversies.

It added that despite previous shortcomings, he should not be condemned unless a competent court finds him guilty.

Concerns over Policing and Public Interference

The lawyer’s account criticised what it described as the increasing reliance on private citizens to interface with dangerous criminal groups, while security agencies remain on the sidelines. It also accused the victim’s family of prioritising online narratives over rescue operations.

The statement concluded by cautioning Gwamnishu against entering the bush again, insisting the police should take full control of the rescue effort.

As of press time, efforts to obtain official reaction from the Edo State Police Command were still unsuccessful. The Police are yet to issue a detailed statement addressing the multiple claims circulating across social platforms. (Vanguard)

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