Tension has emerged between self-styled security activist Harrison Gwamnishu and the family of a kidnapped Edo couple over allegations of diverting funds raised to secure their release.
Mr and Mrs Segiru were abducted from their residence in Aviele, near Auchi, on November 22, 2025.
In the wake of their abduction, Gwamnishu known for publicised interventions in kidnap cases through his Safe City Volunteer Foundation was said to have contacted the family to assist in the mediation process.
A family source, who asked not to be named, alleged that the activist urged the couple’s relatives to liaise with him, particularly the elder brother of the kidnapped wife, Abdulganiyu Oseni, as efforts escalated to meet the kidnappers’ reported N50 million demand.
Gwamnishu, who frequently documents his crime-intervention activities online, has built a public profile around collaboration with security agencies in tracking criminal activity in border communities between Edo and Delta states.
However, the situation took a new turn when Oseni, in posts on his X handle, accused the activist of diverting the money contributed towards the ransom.
He wrote, “This is the face of a thief. Harrison stole from the ransom my family laboured for over 10 days to raise. He was given N20m plus an extra 50k for poorly counted money.
He stole from the ransom to free up my sister and her husband. As it stands, he’s on the run.
“He admitted and remitted N5.4m to the Auchi Area Police Command before he fled.
His car is currently being detained at the same police station. Nigerians are evil people. Tf do you steal ransom for the lives of a couple?”
Oseni insisted that Gwamnishu’s alleged actions put the couple at risk.
“He’s a thief. Say it as it is. He was told that these people would count this money.
He knew, and he still refused the ransom money. Risking people’s lives. He’s a thief, and there is no sugarcoating,” he added.
Gwamnishu, in lengthy posts on his official Facebook page on Friday, dismissed the allegations, maintaining that he neither negotiated ransom nor handled any money. He said his assistance was strictly limited to tracking and technical support.
He wrote, “The Kidnappers demanded N50,000,000 from the family, and the family negotiated with them.
I don’t negotiate with kidnappers; my assistance is to follow them up using tech which the police, military and local vigilantes are aware of.
The family raised N20,000,000 for the kidnappers, and the kidnappers told them that they would free only the woman because they were begging that she was pregnant.
The family told me the kidnappers insisted on freeing only the woman. On Monday, I received a phone call from them saying the kidnappers are requesting N20,000,000, and I asked them for the two of them or just the woman. They said for the two.
“My work is to follow up with the money so we can get a real-time location and get the military to the exact location, as we’ve done in the past with evidence to back it up.”
Addressing why only the wife regained freedom, he said the kidnappers claimed the ransom brought to them was incomplete.
“They took the money to the kidnappers, and they released only the woman and didn’t release the man.
The people who went said the kidnappers did not count the money to determine whether it was below N20 million or above.
They said the kidnappers only told them the money wasn’t complete and they should go.
“They returned and started a blame game, and right in DPO Auchi’s office, I explained to them the strategies and plans we use.
They said why didn’t I tell them. I said I did, cos I remember telling them we would work on the money, but how it’s going to happen is not supposed to be reviewed by anyone.”
Gwamnishu said he preferred to avoid further public exchanges to safeguard the man who remains in captivity, but expressed readiness for an open investigation by the police, military or Department of State Services.
When contacted on Saturday, Edo Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said the Command would respond after receiving full details.
“I will get back to you as soon as I get the facts of the incident,” he said.
A check by PUNCH Online showed that the Safe City Volunteer Foundation was registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission on September 5, 2025.