Controversy surrounding activist Harrison Gwamnishu and a missing portion of ransom money meant for an abducted Edo couple has taken a new turn. His legal representative has provided a detailed account of the events, explaining the activist's claimed operational method.
The Core Controversy: N5.4 Million Unaccounted For
The dispute centres on a sum of N20 million raised by the family of a kidnapped couple from Edo State. The family entrusted the full amount to activist Harrison Gwamnishu to deliver to the captors. However, upon receiving the money, the kidnappers alleged a shortfall. They subsequently released the pregnant wife but held back the husband.
The family publicly accused Gwamnishu of withholding N5.4 million from the ransom. The activist has consistently denied any wrongdoing, stating he employs a specific 'modus operandi' when dealing with kidnappers.
The Lawyer's Account: A Tracking Chip Strategy
According to the firsthand account from Harrison Gwamnishu's lawyer, the deducted money was part of a tactical plan. The lawyer explained that Gwamnishu's method involves using prototype 'look-alike' cash. A tracking chip is inserted into this fake money, as real Nigerian currency is reportedly 'too light' to carry the device effectively.
Before the ransom handover, a significant portion of the real cash is removed and replaced with the chipped prototype notes. The plan, as described, is to return the removed money to the family after a successful operation. The lawyer stated this swap was done in the presence of a family member, though that individual claimed Gwamnishu's back was turned, blocking their view.
Midnight Delivery and Police Involvement
The lawyer narrated that Gwamnishu entered the bush at midnight to deliver the ransom. The masked bandits, armed with guns and flashlights, collected the money but only freed the pregnant woman. Intriguingly, the abducted husband was heard begging his brother for forgiveness, raising suspicions of an insider connection. It was this same brother who first raised the alarm about the incomplete ransom.
Following the partial release, the parties went to the Auchi police station to report. Initially, Gwamnishu hesitated to reveal his method but did so under pressure from the family. He then retrieved the N5.4 million from his hotel room and voluntarily handed it over to the police in Auchi that same day.
Subsequently, Gwamnishu presented himself at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Benin City. There, the lawyer claims police made him re-enact returning the money for photographs, despite having already surrendered it in Auchi. A dispute arose when police prepared a search warrant stating they recovered the money from his hotel, which Gwamnishu refused to sign. This led to his brief detention in a police cell.
Current Status and Lingering Questions
The lawyer emphasised that the N5.4 million is currently with the police. He also revealed that, according to Gwamnishu, the tracking chip placed in the prototype money remains active. The activist claims he can still monitor the kidnappers' location and is willing to assist police in a rescue operation to free the remaining hostage.
"Instead of talking about how to go into the bush and face the bandits, they are all focused on Harrison," the lawyer stated, questioning why efforts aren't directed at rescuing the man still in captivity.
The case highlights the complex and dangerous role private citizens sometimes play in Nigeria's kidnapping crisis, often operating in spaces where official security responses are perceived as inadequate. The truth of the matter now rests with ongoing police investigations and potentially, the courts.
