Edo Kidnap Ransom Controversy: Harrison Gwamnishu’s Lawyer Defends Activist’s Use of Tracking Chip in N20M Payment
In a rapidly escalating online scandal, human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu has been accused by the family of an abducted Edo State couple of pocketing N5.4 million from a N20 million ransom they entrusted to him for their release. The couple—a pregnant woman and her husband—were kidnapped from their home in Auchi. While the woman was freed after the partial ransom delivery, the husband remains in captivity, fueling suspicions of an insider job and amplifying public outrage on social media. Gwamnishu voluntarily submitted to police questioning and was briefly detained, but his lawyer has now provided a detailed rebuttal, attributing the shortfall to a deliberate tracking strategy rather than theft.
The Lawyer’s Detailed Account of Events
Speaking on behalf of Gwamnishu, the lawyer outlined the activist’s established “modus operandi” for negotiating with kidnappers, which relies on embedding GPS tracking technology to enable post-ransom pursuits and rescues. Here’s the step-by-step explanation:
- Preparation of Ransom with Tracking Mechanism: Gwamnishu received the full N20 million from the family. To insert a GPS chip for tracking the bandits’ location after payment, he swapped out N5.4 million in real currency with prototype “look-alike” fake notes designed to mimic Naira bills. Real Naira notes are too thin and lightweight to securely hold the chip, so the prototypes serve as a carrier. This swap was performed in a hotel room in the presence of the husband’s younger brother (a family representative), who was reportedly in the room but later claimed he “didn’t see” the process, alleging Gwamnishu was “backing him” to block the view. The lawyer dismissed this as implausible, questioning how one person could fully obscure such an action in a confined space.
- Midnight Ransom Delivery in the Bush: Under cover of darkness, Gwamnishu—accompanied by family members from multiple victims’ cases—delivered the mixed ransom bundle to masked bandits armed with guns and flashlights (touchlights). Other kidnapped individuals were held nearby in the bandits’ camp. The exchange was tense: The bandits accepted the payment but released only the pregnant woman, leaving the husband behind. In a dramatic moment, the husband reportedly begged his younger brother for forgiveness, pleading, “Forgive me,” which the lawyer cited as potential evidence of an inside betrayal, given the home invasion nature of the abduction.
- Immediate Aftermath and Police Handover: The group proceeded directly to the Auchi Police Station to report the partial release. When the husband’s brother raised alarms about the “incomplete” payment (noticing the shortfall during or post-delivery), Gwamnishu initially hesitated to disclose his tracking method out of operational secrecy. Under family threats, he explained the chip strategy to both the family and police. He then retrieved the withheld N5.4 million from his hotel room and voluntarily surrendered it to officers at the station that same day, before departing Auchi amid rising tensions. Gwamnishu explicitly requested the family withhold social media posts until the husband’s full release to avoid alerting the kidnappers, but they went public anyway, sparking viral accusations of flight and vehicle seizure (which he clarified was a precautionary measure against threats).
- Voluntary Submission and Police Staging: To demonstrate transparency, Gwamnishu proactively visited the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Benin City for further interrogation. There, officers retrieved the already-surrendered N5.4 million and staged a photo-op, forcing him to “act as though he was returning the money” for documentation purposes. Tensions escalated when police drafted a search warrant falsely claiming the cash was “recovered from his Auchi hotel room” after a raid—48 hours after the actual handover. Advised by his lawyer, Gwamnishu refused to sign the fabricated document, leading to his brief lockup in a police cell. The lawyer categorically denied circulating claims of a 14-day remand order, calling it “propaganda.”
Key Explanations and Defenses
- No Theft Intended: The swapped funds were always meant to be returned post-rescue, a standard part of Gwamnishu’s anti-kidnap operations. The N5.4 million is currently in police custody, not with him.
- Active Tracking: The chip in the prototype notes remains operational, allowing real-time monitoring of the bandits’ location via Gwamnishu’s system. He has offered full cooperation to police for a raid to free the husband but laments the “shameful” fixation on him over the victim.
- Broader Critique: The lawyer highlighted systemic failures, questioning why police or the family haven’t acted on the tracking data to storm the camp. He attributed the backlash to Gwamnishu’s “past shortcomings” and rivalries with “powers that be,” but urged restraint until a court rules, emphasizing one good deed outweighs flaws. Barr. Awele Ideal, who relayed much of this via a viral Facebook post after speaking directly to the lawyer, echoed this, calling the family’s social media frenzy a risky distraction from the ongoing captivity.
Current Status and Reactions
Gwamnishu was released on bail following the detention and continues advocating for the husband’s rescue. Social media remains divided: Supporters hail his innovative tactics as a necessary evil in Nigeria’s kidnap crisis, while detractors demand prosecution, dubbing the chip story “too convenient.” Edo State Police have not issued an official statement on the tracking offer or warrant dispute. The incident underscores the perils of vigilante-style interventions in high-risk abductions, with calls growing for better-equipped law enforcement involvement. For updates, monitor credible outlets like Vanguard or Linda Ikeji’s Blog.