The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has in a letter dated May 15, 2023, directed the Delta State Commissioner of Police to investigate the criminal allegations against a Delta State-based human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu.
SaharaReporters had earlier this month reported how the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and 17 other human rights groups across Nigeria petitioned the IGP to probe Gwamnishu over millions of Naira fraud allegations.
Gwamnishu, whom the petitioners described as a “self-acclaimed human rights activist” and the Director General of BehindG Bars Human Rights Foundation, was accused of defrauding an Indonesia-based Nigerian businessman, Nnaji Franklin Ifeanyi, of N6 million in pretence to help him recover his land in Owerri, Imo State.
One Tracy Mcwary, who identified herself as the Chief Executive Officer of Miss Amnesty Nigeria, who spoke with SaharaReporters on the phone on behalf of Gwamnishu had said that Gwamnishu had agreed to refund the money on June 30, 2023.
However, Mcwary said that Nnaji and the human rights groups who petitioned Gwamnishu to the IGP should withdraw the petition if the fraud victim really wanted his money back unless if he only wanted to tarnish Gwamnishu's image, questioning of "what benefit will it be for him if after tarnishing Gwamnishu's image, he did not get his money back?"
On Wednesday, RULAAC said that the publication of Gwamnishu’s fraud against Nnaji opened a floodgate of other shocking revelations on social media from several other victims and witnesses of Gwamnishu's alleged fraudulent activities.
“It's been startling revelations of ugly experiences in the hands of this same dubious character Harrison who commits his fraudulent acts in the guise of rendering human rights assistance to his victims.”
Following the IGP’s directive for investigation on Gwamnishu’s alleged fraudulent activities, RULAAC therefore called on anyone who has had any sad experience or who has been a victim of a Gwamnishu’s fraudulent schemes to send their story via [email protected] for onward transmission to the investigation team at the Delta State Police Headquarters.