In this report, Sahara Reporters unveils the flashy and fraudulent lifestyle of one of Nigeria’s social media’s most prolific and manipulative conmen. For months , we investigated the story of 34 years old Harrison Gwamnishu, a barely literate young man who for years paraded himself as a lawyer, human rights activist, businessman and philanthropist to dupe unsuspecting members of the public. We spoke to dozens of police officers, his victims as well as people who are familiar with his mode of operation. What we found out was mind bogging:
- Spent 4 years in Kirikiri medium prison and Ogashi uku Prison awaiting trial for robbery
- Ones attacked a police station with his gang to free a fellow cult member
- In court with his wife for divorce following accusation of serial wife battery and cheating
- Several out-of-wedlock children
- Victims were afraid to speak out citing his proclivity to cultism and African magic
- Dupped several Nigerian of Millions of Naira posing as human rights activist and philanthropist
- Contested and lost the 2023 Elections Delta state legislator under the banner of the Labour Party
Early in December 2020, a tragic drama unfolded around the new General Road in Asaba, Delta State. A middle-aged petty trader, identified as Amaka Ohanaja, was reportedly killed by a stray bullet emanating from officials of the Delta State-owned joint security outfit, Operation Delta Hawk while on a hot chase of a tinted Lexus car that reportedly refused to stop at a checkpoint. This was a few weeks after the popular #endsars protest that shook the entire nation as youths across the country rose in popular protest against police brutality. An estimated 150 lives were lost across the country during the two weeks protest. Understandably the youths of Delta State were angry at the latest incident. The police and the state government on the other hand were also visibly nervous following the incident that threatens to derail the fragile peace of the state
Watching the unfolding scenario somewhere in Asaba was one Harrison Gwanmishi, a 32 old self-acclaimed human rights activist and con man extraordinaire who is reputed to capitalize on events like this to make huge money and fame. He did not disappoint.
Galvanizing his estimated 264,000 social media followers to a frenzy, he called for a massive protest to “teach the police a lesson” and secure justice for the victim’s family. Many consisting of youths, mostly students and artisans, turned up for the scene of the incident within hours of the planned march; the destination was the “Osadebe House”, the seat of the Delta state government. The Delta State government got wind of the protest march and panicked. The event of the proceeding weeks following the #endsars protest was still fresh in their mind. The international outrage that followed the killing of protesters in Lekki, Lagos a few weeks earlier was not lost on the Delta State government nor the police. And so while the protesters were singing solidarity songs, a senior official of the state government invited the leaders of the protesters to the government house. The government wants to negotiate. Mr. Gwamnishu opted to meet the officials- alone. According to an insider and former associate of Mr. Gwamnishu, the state government promised to compensate the family of Amaka Ohanaja to the tune of N5 Million while Gwamishu negotiated another N5 million for himself. The total amount of N10 million was promptly transferred to his personal bank account. Meanwhile, Gwamnishu informed the bereaved family that the state government is looking into their case and will get back to them as soon as possible. Unknown to them Gwamnishu is N10 million richer courtesy of their slain brother.
What happened in Vegas would have stayed in Vegas but for another incident in June 2021. Gloria Okolie a 21-year-old female student was arrested and detained by the police in Owerri, Imo state, and accused of being the girlfriend of a wanted IPOB militant. Gloria was detained at the Owerri Imo state Tiger-based office of the notorious police squad Intelligence Response Team(IRT) led by disgraced DCP Abba Kyari where she was allegedly used as a sex slave. The family contacted Gwamishi, who blew the story to the public and media in his characteristic manner. His popularity rose. The Nigerian public reacted in anger to the consternation of the police. Within days Gwamnishu had raised about N5 million” to fight for the release of the young lady”.
A source familiar with the case told SR that some angry police officers decided to tip off the family of Amaka Ohanajaabout how Gwamnishu cornered the N5 million given to them by the Delta state government, after receiving several bashings from the public following the Gloria Okolie Incident. The Ohanaja family quickly petitioned the police Zone 5 Command against Gwamnishu. In response, the police wrote to invite Gwamnishu asking him to report to their station to volunteer information on the case of murder. In a letter seen by SR dated 25 August 2021 and signed by DCP Polycap Dibia of Zone 5 Police Command Benin City titled ”Re: Case Of Murder” the police said they are investigating a written petition and requested Mr Gwamnishu to make himself available for an interview. Gwamnishu and his friends however saw the invitation differently, or so they made everyone believe. They raised an alarm in the media that the police want to hang a case of murder on him because of his advocacy for the release of Gloria Okolie. The public and the media believed him.
Like other numerous scandals he had been enmeshed in the last five years, Mr. Gwamnishu came out of the scandal unscratched. The public never knew what happened and activist Gwamnishu did not border to update his numerous Facebook followers about how the case ended. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
For years, Gwamnishu lived his fantasy life driving luxury cars, spending thousands on beautiful women, and frolicking in night clubs across Asaba, Onitsha, and Abuja while Cleverly and convincingly masquerading himself as a kind-hearted philanthropist and human rights activist, convincing people to part with millions of naira to help a dying , abandoned old woman or victim of police abuse. Sources told SR that he sometimes posed as a lawyer to convince his victims to part with their money. He mostly operates on Facebook and Instagram where he has built a reputation as a fearless human rights activist and philanthropist. Most of his “humanitarian” activities are showcased online and on Facebook. Incidentally, his fraud victims are mostly his Facebook followers and in many cases beneficiaries of his philanthropic gestures.
SR learned that Mr. Gwamnishu has been battling with one form of scandal or the order since 2017 but somehow manages to overcome his challenges including staying ahead of his victims and the law enforcement agents. SR spoke to several people including his former associates and security agents who are conversant with Mr. Gwamnishu’s mode of operation. They painted a picture of a smooth operator who manage to hoodwink and sweet talk his victims while using social media and his philanthropic work as a cover. A former colleague told SR” Harrison is a bad guy. He has duped a lot of people. He is also really into Juju and Occultism. One former associate said that he believed that his current problem may be related to his duping a man who is related to his spiritual adviser ( a popular night club owner and native doctor in Asaba)
Fraud, wife battering, ID theft, forgery, and robbery are just a few of the crimes he has been accused of perpetrating over a decade, apparently with impunity. Social media sites especially Facebook and Instagram have been his hunting ground, allegedly conning scores of victims who became unwitting characters in his scams.
SR learned that the 34-year-old fraudster – described as the most prolific and talented conman’ in Nigeria by police sources – used a variety of tactics to swindle his followers and the public out of millions of naira he used to fund a splashy lifestyle – then allegedly attempted to cover his tracks by scamming even more followers and by threatening his victims who dared question him, Detectives who spoke to SR believe his fraud dates back to September 2017, when Gwamnishu began fronting an NGO, Behind Bars Initiatives.
- A criminal Background
Piecing the jigsaw surrounding Gwammishu’s past initially appeared very difficult. Many activists, journalists, and police sources said he came into the limelight sometime in 2017 when he started an NGO, Behind Bars Rights Initiative. SR is however able to glimpse at his background from his numerous postings on social media and media interviews as well as interviews with his former allies and police officers who had served in Delta state.
From a carefully choreographed resume that he flaunts on social media, his story appears like a grace-to-grace story of a hardworking young man who worked his way to fame and riches.
Gwamnishu, the profile claims, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Peace and conflict resolution from Afriford University, Cotonou, Benin Republic, and a diploma in computer science from Lagos State University. He also claimed another degree from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States where he studied civic education.
The profile lists several companies started and managed by Gwamnishu, including being the chief executive of HarryTech Security, HarryTech Processing ( ANIOMA GARRI), and HarryTech Rides. It also describes described as a human rights activist, philanthropist, and social media influencer.
In 2017, he co-founded Behind Bars Rights Initiative to connect legal practitioners to indigent persons where over 3000 indigent wrongfully detained persons have regained their freedom. He was also appointed State Coordinator of Joint Legal Action Aids, a Human Rights Advocacy Group and was among the young African leaders honored with the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship award in the United States in 2017.
He claimed to have been nominated, appointed, and inaugurated as a member of the Delta State Justice Sector Reform Team and the Delta State Human Rights Protection Committee chaired by the Delta State Governor.
If his academic and work/activism resume can be described as impressive, his business resume is even better. He claims to be involved in several high-profile businesses all of which have proved very lucrative as his numerous wealth which he often flaunts on social media can attest to.
Fack-checking Gwamnishu Claims
However, SR was able to fact-check most of his public claim about his past and source of livelihood and discovered a web of lies and criminal enterprises build over a period of 5 years intended to hoodwink the public and provide a platform to swindle hundreds of gullible Nigerians. Indeed, Harrison Gwamnishu attended Atta boys secondary school, said a former colleague but dropped out of school. He did his WAEC school cert exams in 2019 but he allegedly hired a mercenary to write the exams for him. Secondly, there was no evidence that he attended Lagos State University while his engagement with Rutgers University was part of the annual Four Weeks Young Leaders Of The Americas Initiative In 2017
“If his claim to academic laurel appeared ridiculous, that of his business accomplishment was more bizarre. It takes a genius to build a large business empire consisting of four high-profile companies in less than 5 years. But SR findings indicate that these were phantom companies set up either to cover up his dubious enterprises or as a platform to dupe innocent people. SR identifies at least 10 Nigerians who claimed to have been scammed by Gwamnishu, using Anioma Garri as a cover. In 2007 Gwamnishu in partnership with another activist Comrade Tom Ochada cofounded the Behind Bars Human Right Foundation, an NGO whose mission is to help indigent prisoners and detainees. Both directors were co-signatories to the bank account but unknown to comrade Tom Ochada, Gwamnishu surreptitiously removed his phone number from the account, depriving him of the opportunity to monitor the cash movement in the account through bank sms. Gwamnishu allegedly strike up a romantic relationship with the bank account officer in charge of the organization’s account with whom he later had a child. On discovering the apparent fraud, comrade Tom approached the bank and upon seeing the millions of naira that passed through the account without his knowledge he petitioned the bank and EFCC. In a letter seen by SR and signed by his lawyer, The account was closed down but not after Gwamnishu has withdrawn every single kobo.
Another petition sent to the EFCC dated 2 November 2021 and signed by a legal firm LC Agbata and Co was sighted by SR and was titled DUPE AND FRAUDULENT CONVERSION OF N50M PROPERTY OF BEHIND BARS INITIATIVE By Mr Harrison GWAMNISHU EMEFIELE. The petioners urge the anti-graf body to investigate Mr Gwamnishu over finantial crime and theft
Paraded By the Police For Theft and Fraud
A scan across social media revealed a plethora of individuals who claimed to have been duped by Gwamnishu. Some of the major cases are treated in detail below.
4 Years in Prison
In June 2011, Gwamnishu was arrested for robbery and remanded in prison custody where he spent between June 2011 and November 2015 In Kirikiri maximum prison, Lagos, and Ogwashi Uku prisons in Delta State. Police sources told SR that he was arrested in June 2011 and charged with ‘conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms, and armed robbery” after he was accused of robbing his former boss. He insisted he was innocent but a senior police officer who was familiar with his case told SR that he indeed robbed his former boss. “ He is lucky to be alive. His accomplice who was arrested identified him as part of his gang. Besides the police found a gun and ammunition at his house. He was simply discharged because of lack of diligent prosecution by the police as the IPO in charge of his case was transferred out of SARS”
He was discharged after NGO Solomon Foundation provided free legal services to him. He volunteered briefly for the organization before returning to crime, this time under the guise of helping other “innocent prisoners”.
- Raised 7 Million for non existing Kidney Disease
In March 2018, Gwamnishu claimed to have been diagnosed with kidney disease, announcing on his Facebook wall that he needed N7 million to have a transplant surgery in India. He attached a photo allegedly in a hospital bed with drips looking emaciated. His bank account number was attached to the post. Thousands of his followers on social media responded with money donations and goodwill messages.
Among his social media followers who came to his aid was Hallmark Chibuzor Paul, a social media influencer. In a posting, he explained how he helped to raise money for Gwamnishu’s treatment only to realize it was a scam. He insisted that Gwamnishgu return the money. A few days later, realizing that he has been caught Gwamnishu issued a well-crafted message, titled “Apology from my sick bed” apologizing for his action but insisting it was only an error of judgment and not a fraud.
Gwamnishu was later to fake his kidnapping. In June 2017, he shared photos of himself crying on Facebook alleging that he was accosted by criminals while returning from Agbor to Asaba, in Delta state, and robbed of about N200,000 cash. He claimed the hoodlums also held him, hostage, for hours and collected his ATM card after requesting for his pin; and was finally released after the money in his account was withdrawn and his phones and other valuables were collected. Two of his former associates and a police officer told SR that his claim was false and the whole scheme was orchestrated by him to raise money for his trip to the United States shortly after he was nominated for the Nelson Mandela Fellowship. He however raised millions of naira from the public on account of this.
- Anioma Garri. The Ponzi Scheme.
Gwamnishu describes himself as a businessman. SR findings revealed that he uses a plethora of unregistered companies to scam. Among the companies he often flaunts on social media is Harrytec Processing Ltd which he serves as the chief executive. He described the company as an agricultural company committed to quality processing of various materials for export. Its main product is Anioma garri (processed cassava). Findings by SR showed that the company operate as a Ponsi scheme which Gwamnishu used to defraud hundreds of Nigerians. “He has scammed over fifty people across Nigeria and in the diaspora of money running into hundreds of millions of naira”, said one Delta state-based female activist. Many of them have been intimidated into silence while others are afraid of his connections including links with occultic individuals. SR spoke to at least ten people who complained that they were defrauded by Gwamnishu using the Anioma Garri Ponsi scheme. His modus operation involves inviting prospective Investors to invest in the “business” and a promise of a monthly return on investment(ROI), usually between 5 to 10 percent. Some of them took to Facebook to lament their plight.
Felix Emeri Ibezim wrote: Harrison Gwamnishu Emefiena scammed me of my hard-earned money. All in the name of Garri business investment. He’s owing me 3 million and has refused to pay me. Does not take calls again. I have every generated receipt of the money I sent to him
I first invested this 1 million…To get 50k monthly for 6 months.
He paid for only 5 months… So I sent another 1 million to complete it and 2 million around May to get 100k monthly
He keeps promising and failing. He promised to send all this month’s end unfailingly but still failed. Telling me I can’t do anything”
Another lady, with a Facebook name of Descarce Angel, said ” He (Gwamnishu) told me I will receive my money the second week of December and that the company has given him a cheque for compensation, as he failed to pay, he stopped replying to my messages …… Since late December till a few days ago Harrison has not replied to my messages, reason I went to EFCC here in Benin where I base to report him…”
Other Criminal Activities
Senior police officers who spoke to SR said he has been investigated and even prosecuted by the Delta state police command for various criminal activities. In a particular case in August 2020 shared by police and civil society sources a 20-year-old boy Favour Ogboe was arrested by the police for cybercrime commonly called yahoo plus . The police detained and collected the sum of N1.5 million bribe from him. Gwamnishu was approached by Favours’s family to help facilitate his release from police custody. Gwamnishu succeeded in effecting his release as well as the recovery of N1.5 million bribe from the police. In appreciation, Favour gave him half a million naira as well as his blue Toyota Camry for temporal use to facilitate his movement. A few months later when Favour demanded for his car, Gwamnishu started giving flimsy excuses. Unknown to him, Gwamnishu had perfected another plan. He reported invited Favour to a shopping mall in Asaba purportedly to collect his car. On getting to the venue, Harrison and his gang kidnapped him and demanded N1.5 million as ransom from favors parents.
One activist reported the case to the police who arrested Gwamnishu and discovered that the car has been converted to Gwamnishu personal property. All the vehicles document presented by Gwamnishu was found to fake. According to police sources, Gwamnishu is currently on police bail.
Human Rights Groups Wade In.
On 5 May 2023, about 27 human rights groups across Nigeria wrote to the Inspector General of Police asking for an investigation into the activities of Gwamnishu. The group led by RULAAC and consisting of notable human rights groups and activist like Barrister Samuel Hensekien, Dr Leo Igwe etc in a petition titled ALLEGED FRAUD AND OBTAINING BY FALSE PRETENSES: A COMPLAINT AGAINST ONE MR. HARRISON GWAMNISHU, A SELF-ACCLAIMED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST BASED IN DELTA STATE, called on the IGP to order an investigation into Mr. Harrison Gwamnishu’s criminal conduct.
The group described Gwamnishu as an impostor “who hides under the cover and pretense of being a human rights activist to deceive and defraud unwary and hapless citizens who seek his human rights assistance. Many people who found themselves in desperate situations have fallen for his gambit and false claim of being a human rights activist and thereby got defrauded.”
“Harrison uses social media to advertise himself as the ‘DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF BEHIND BARS HUMAN RIGHT FOUNDATION’ and solicits as a human rights activist.
“Our concerns for bringing this petition jointly are because, first, his activities, apart from being criminal, and which we are obliged to report to law enforcement agencies as patriotic citizens and genuine activists, also impinge on our collective integrity, reputation, and public perception as human rights activists who should be above board and, to the best of our abilities, beyond blemish.
“Secondly, we are also concerned because he has been persistent in this objectionable behavior having been habitually involved in this type of criminal activity of obtaining money from people under the pretense of offering them human rights assistance.
Thirdly, we have a moral obligation to protect other unwary citizens who are potential victims of this man of dubious character.”
The group intervened following the case of Mr. Franklin Ifeanyi Nnaji, an Indonesian-based businessman. Nnaji had approached Gwamnishu to help him recover his N15 million from land speculators. Gwamnishu however ended up scamming further N6 million from Mr Nnaji.
Following the petition, the IGP directed the Delta State Police Command to Investigate the case. The human rights coalition a few days later said it has received more complaints from other victims. Most of them are victims of his Ponzi scheme who were deceived into investing in his non-existing Anioma Garri business.
Victims Afraid To Speak Out
In the case of investigating this story, SR reached out to over 15 victims of the Gwamnishu well-crafted scam. Five of them refused to elaborate on their experience with Gwamnishu, and expressed fears of victimization from Gwamnishu or his gang. One of them is Kinsley Orji , Aka Egbeigwe a Nollywood actor. In August 2021, Orji appealed for public support to help him raise funds for treatment in India after he was involved in a motor accident that nearly crippled him. Among the people who volunteered to raise funds for him was Gwamnishu. He however withheld the sum of N5 million donated to the ailing actor by a philanthropist. When he was called out he claimed the actor was unable to account for the sum of N1.5 million he had earlier transferred to him from the money. When SR contacted Kinsley Orji, he refused to comment on the case.” I have moved on. I don’t want to talk about Harrison Gwamnishu again. Never” he said
On 2 June 2023, an Asaba-based herbalist posted a warning on his Facebook page to Gwamnishu victims who have been speaking out on social media. In what can be interpreted as a threat and attempt to intimidate Gwamnishu’s victim into silence, the herbalist said:
“Harrison Gwamishu visited my new hotel …And we also discussed many things as brothers and some challenges he has been passing true since he was gifted a car, but nothing must happen to him”
When SaharaReporters reached out to Gwamnishu to respond to these sundry allegations, he described the findings as untrue and an attempt to defame his character. “This is purely false and defamation. Thank you,” he replied to an inquiry on WhatsApp after he did not pick up several phone calls.
