A Nigerian lawyer has strongly criticized the recent arrest and detention of prominent activist Harrison Gwamnishu, promising to challenge the court order that remanded him in custody. Barrister Favour Ajuebor announced plans for legal action scheduled for the coming week.
Legal Practitioner Condemns Arrest, Plans Court Showdown
In a detailed Facebook post made on Friday, December 6, 2024, Barrister Favour Ajuebor expressed his outrage at the circumstances surrounding Gwamnishu's detention. The activist was arrested and remanded following allegations made by the family of a kidnapped pregnant woman, who accused him of theft related to ransom payment.
Ajuebor specifically questioned the necessity of a 14-day remand order, suggesting the investigation appeared to be based on a "scripted motive." He contrasted the police's focus on Gwamnishu with the ongoing kidnapping crisis in Delta State, noting that the activist had previously been instrumental in combating kidnappers in the Delta North region.
Six Pivotal Questions About the Arrest
The legal practitioner posed six critical questions regarding the sequence of events leading to Gwamnishu's arrest:
1. Timing of the Invitation: Why was Harrison Gwamnishu invited by the family after they had already concluded ransom payments with the alleged kidnappers? What was the precise purpose of this invitation?
2. Handling of Funds: Why involve Gwamnishu in handling the money when a separate delegate had been appointed to deliver the ransom to the kidnappers?
3. Awareness of Strategy: Was the family unaware of Gwamnishu's known strategy of using fake currencies during such operations, or did they aid in its application?
4. Failure to Track Kidnappers: Why were the alleged kidnappers not tracked immediately after receiving the money, a standard procedure in Gwamnishu's previous successful operations?
5. Shift in Focus: Why did the family abandon efforts to rescue their loved one and instead focus on Gwamnishu, even engaging internet personality VeryDarkMan in the process?
6. Premeditated Recording: Why was Gwamnishu being recorded from the beginning if there wasn't a pre-scripted plan against him?
Confrontation with VeryDarkMan and Monday's Plan
Barrister Ajuebor also directly addressed internet personality Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), who publicly admitted to engineering Gwamnishu's arrest. Ajuebor criticized VDM's role and declared that by Monday, they would approach the court to challenge the remand order.
"For the records, by Monday we shall come out in full chest to challenge the Order by testing the waters in court and every other means," Ajuebor wrote, framing the upcoming legal battle as a "light versus darkness showdown."
He further questioned the priorities of the security agencies, stating, "Kidnappers are in your state camping and doing exploit and instead of engaging your intelligence to fish them out, you are channeling your energy to investigate a man who has fought kidnappers to a standstill."
Public reaction to the lawyer's post has been significant, with many social media users echoing his concerns. Commenter Ed Omo supported the questions raised, stating, "These are genuine questions that deserve clear answers. Harrison has risked his life repeatedly to help families in danger." Others, like Chima Samuel, urged caution, suggesting, "But why would someone set me up and succeed if am not used to what they set me up for."
The situation continues to develop as supporters await the promised legal action on Monday and the response from authorities regarding the six questions posed by Barrister Favour Ajuebor.
