Key Points
- Harrison Gwamnishu used a chip on fake ransom notes. His lawyer says real cash stayed aside for later.
- Police now keep the ransom share inside their own vault. Family and online critics still accuse him of theft.
- Chip inside the fake cash can still trace kidnappers. Activist offers to guide police into bush for rescue.
Human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu is back in the news again. His lawyer has now shared a fresh account of the Edo kidnap ransom. The story tries to explain what he did with the cash.
The account answers viral claims that he stole part of the money. ValidUpdates earlier covered the case in an earlier police probe report. Now his lawyer insists the police and bandits hold the real answers.
How the ransom plan worked
The lawyer says Harrison used fake notes fitted with a tracking chip. He placed the chip inside light prototype cash made only for that job. Part of the real ransom then stayed aside in his hotel room.
He claims Harrison carried out this step while a family member watched. That relative later told police he could not see what Harrison did. The lawyer says this gap now feeds doubt and plenty of side talk.
Harrison then entered the bush at night to deliver the bundle. He says masked bandits pointed guns and lights at him and others. Families of other kidnap victims also brought ransom for their loved ones.
After payment only the pregnant woman walked free with Harrison that night. Her husband stayed in the camp and begged hard for his life. Online, some people now suspect an insider helped the kidnappers plan the hit.
The lawyer says Harrison now regrets walking into the bush again. He believes the police should face the bandits while he stays back. “Let the police do their work,” he reportedly told his client.
Police role and hotel cash handover
According to the lawyer, Harrison later went to a police station in Auchi. There he explained his chip method when the family pressed for answers. He then brought out the kept cash and handed it to officers.
He claims this money sits with the police while the man remains captive. Money trust stories now trend often like Davido manager Spotify loyalty debate. The lawyer feels people now rush to judge Harrison based on past disputes.
He also says officers in Benin City later staged a strange scene. They allegedly asked Harrison to act like he was returning the ransom there. Phones and cameras came out as if it were a short movie shoot.
The lawyer claims officers then tried to force a search warrant on him. They said the cash came from his hotel room after a raid. Harrison refused to sign and was locked in a police cell.
He further insists a viral story about a fourteen-day deadline is false. According to him, no such deal was made with bandits or police. He says Harrison’s chip is still active and can help trace the camp.
Public drag, online debate and next steps
Before the man gained freedom, Harrison begged for calm on social media. He wanted the police to finish their work before public posts. Their drag joined other trust fights like Aunty Esther cancer donation dispute.
The lawyer now urges Harrison to stop entering the bush for deals. He says police should lead any rescue while his client helps with tips. Harrison also offers chip data so officers can track the kidnappers more easily.
He calls it shameful that a private citizen meets armed bandits alone. In his view, the police should face the danger with full backing. He feels the family now risks their brother’s life by dragging online.
Across Nigeria, kidnap ransom debates keep growing as attacks stay common. Security experts warn that private deals can weaken formal rescue efforts and trials. Some link these fears to wider talks on terror funding and ransom cash.
For now, the lawyer says he will not throw Harrison under the bus. He plans to stand by him until a court rules on the case. Police and the family are yet to share a joint clear timeline of events.
Observers now wait to see whether the police lay formal charges. Many want to know if the chip plan broke any money rules. Others simply hope the abducted man returns home alive after weeks of fear.
