I Wasn’t Arrested, Gwamnishu Says Over ₦5.4m To Rescue Kidnapped Couple

December 22, 2025February 4, 2026 Osazuwa Akonedo 11 Comments

Harrison Gwamnishu says he was never arrested by the police or charged to court as speculated in the public spaces over the ₦5.4 million he allegedly removed out of the ₦20 million ransom he was given to hand over to kidnappers and as well apparently used the money as a bait to stage sting operation for the release and rescue of the husband and wife simply identified as Mr and Mrs Ibrahim kidnapped in Aviele community in the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, which generated public reactions after the kidnappers set free the wife and kept the husband in captivity on the ground that the money given to them was not complete, and some persons who have access to the apparent sensitive security information went public to create an impression as if Harrison Gwamnishu stole part of the ransom money, even when Harrison Gwamnishu explained to them that it is part of his operational procedures to remove some cash from the ransom money, his explanation apparently went on deaf ears, and people who maybe best described as mischief makers took advantage of the issue to call Harrison Gwamnishu names and re-open his alleged past deeds in a prejudiced manner to cast aspersions on him even when they knew that Harrison Gwamnishu has a long history with video evidences of assisting security operatives to rescue kidnapped victims and in some cases, the total money paid as ransom are recovered and returned to the victims’ families and the sting operation usually leads to the killing and arrest of the suspected kidnappers, this, according to Harrison Gwamnishu in a statement he issued through his verified Facebook account some hours ago, he was the one who personally submitted himself voluntarily to the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force to enable the police investigate his action that he never had the intention of stealing the money and his action of removing some money from the ransom was part of his usual operational procedures, adding that, the police never charged him to court and while in self detention with the police, he became the cell president and he facilitated the release of four persons who were probably arrested and detained by the police unjustly for a crime the beneficiaries may know nothing about, and a video posted online by Harrison Gwamnishu on Monday night, showed he arrived home to the waiting hands of his elderly mother who was seen in the video singing, dancing with other family members, friends and well wishers and screaming loud with joy, while using one of her hands to caress the chest of her son, Harrison Gwamnishu during which she said a lot of prayers in her local dialect.

In his words, Harrison Gwamnishu said; “I did not return alone. During my time in custody, I became the cell Presido, (OBJ), and later handed over that responsibility to a young man, Onah Abba, who had also been unjustly arrested and detained. While there, I quietly supported the release of four individuals who were being held without cause, and today, Onah Abba from Benue State has also regained his freedom. My sincere appreciation goes to my Edo human rights team, led by John Odion Kadiri, for their invaluable support in making this possible.

Dear Family, I am pleased to inform you all that I have been released from custody. Words cannot express how grateful I am for your support, especially considering that many of you had not yet heard my own side of what truly happened.

For clarity, I was neither invited nor arrested by the Police. As a law-abiding citizen, I voluntarily presented myself for investigation regarding the incident. At the moment, I have not been charged, as the matter is still under review by the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

I sincerely appreciate every one of you. I will take time to personally thank you all for standing by me. My special appreciation goes to my lawyers, Barrister Olayiwola Afolabi, SAN, Barrister Dele Igbinedion, Barrister Favour Ajuebor and Barrister Awele Ideal for their professionalism and dedication in securing my release.

Despite my many years of advocating against police brutality, one might have assumed the Police would be hostile towards me. Instead, I am grateful to the Edo State Commissioner of Police for his wisdom and professionalism. I must also commend the hardworking investigation team led by CSP Osagie for their care and fatherly guidance during my time in detention. Thank you all once again for being part of my journey”, said Harrison Gwamnishu, Founder, Safe City Volunteer Foundation.

We had reported that the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of IGP Kayode Egbetokun has kept mum since reports indicated that the US trained private intelligent officer, Harrison Gwamnishu who was invited to facilitate the rescue of a married couple, husband and wife simply identified as Mr and Mrs Ibrahim that was kidnapped since late November at their home in Aviele community, a village near Auchi Polytechnic in the Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State has been arrested and remanded to prison by a court sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital over allegations that the private Intelligent Officer, Harrison Gwamnishu underpaid the ransom money given to him to give to the kidnappers to rescue the married couple in captivity, the reports of Harrison Gwamnishu’s arrest and subsequent remand to prison custody became wide spread after a popular Nigeria social media activist, Vincent Martins Otse in a video statement on Friday morning alleged that he has facilitated the arrest of the Private Intelligent Officer, Harrison Gwamnishu for allegedly removing ₦5.4 million fom the total amount given to him by the victims’ family to help pay as ransom to the kidnappers, this occurred, after the “Sting Operations” Gwamnishu had prepared the ransom money for, was probably aborted after a man, whose real names maybe Oshioreamhe Job Aseghemhe leaked, revealed and exposed the planned sensitive security information online, according to the suspect who leaked out the sensitive security operational plans of Gwamnishu, Harrison Gwamnishu never told the family he was going to remove some money from the ransom, that the kidnappers said the money was not complete hence only the wife was released, the man still held in captivity due to the incomplete ransom payment, the suspect, Oshioreamhe Job Aseghemhe in a video recorded statement stated that he was the one that helped facilitate the service of Harrison Gwamnishu when the family of the kidnapped victims requested for it, the action of the suspect may have prompted Harrison Gwamnishu to abort the “Sting Operations” obviously for the safety of his personal life and the lives of Nigeria soldiers and other security operatives he does use to execute and complete his Sting Operations against Kidnappers which often leads to the killing of the Kidnappers and recovering of the total ransom paid, for the purpose of clarity, “Sting Operations” is a deceptive practice and undercover tactics used by journalist or intelligent officer or security operative to get closer to a suspected criminal or criminals in order to be more familiar with the criminals and the environment they operate, and the deceptive practice may include the journalist or intelligent officer or security operative pretending to give ransom money to Kidnappers in a manner that can cause a delay and proper assessment of the environment before the security troops may launch offensive attack against the criminals, the action of Aseghemhe of leaking out sensitive security information may be of interest why Nigeria soldiers and other security operatives are being killed in large numbers whenever in previous and recent years the Nigeria security troops are on rescue missions including the recent mass killing of soldiers along with Brigadier General Uba Musa and civilian JTF members at Wajiroko village in Borno State by criminals.