05/01/2026
CYBER BULLYING OF HARRISON GWAMNISHU MAY LAND SOME PEOPLE IN JAIL OR CAUSE THEM MILLIONS OF NAIRA IN COMPENSATION - By Dele Igbinedion Esq.
I have watched with dismay the way and manner that some persons have been recklessly and mindlessly disparaging and destroying the hard earned reputation of Harrison Gwamnishu. I understand that one person even made a post where he purportedly gave Harrison some hours to confess or he will post some more damaging information. Imagine. Seeking confession through coercion.
Anyway, I emphasise that the people posting are doing so, while being totally reckless and mindless about the legal consequences of their actions. Or, perhaps, they do not care.
This is because most of the people seem clueless about what they are doing. They just saw someone post something negative about Harrison Gwamnishu, and jumped on the bandwagon to also post negative information, defamatory content and disparaging things about the man. When they are questioned, they stutter to even answer basic questions.
For instance, this morning (5/1/2026), I have intervened in two situations. The first one concerned my great niece. He claimed that Harrison owed him money from a failed business transaction. Note: A business transaction. But he characterised it like Harrison defrauded him of his money.
The fact was that the man partnered with Harrison and invested money in Anioma Garri business, but the business flopped due to exigent reasons. Certainly, if the business had succeeded, the man would have reaped millions and would not have complained. But since the business failed, he chose to drag Harrison all over social media, claiming that he had been duped. He called Harrison out as a thi.ef.
The man has been going from one so called Juju Shrine to another, taking pictures at the entrances and claiming that he has reported Harrison to, not one or two, but four or five Juju Shrines. Well, he didn't stop there. All his Juju visits were posted on social media for maximum damage ro Harrison's reputation.
Early this morning, along with a so called Juju Man, he traced Harrison's house. He stood there, at Harrison's house, and began to make incantations. The security men in the area promptly arrested both of them. They were then taken to the Police Station.
However, en route the Police Station, I became aware of the incident. I questioned them whether Jujumen or Shrines are now the legal way to recover a business debt, assuming there is any debt al all. Of course, he could not explain himself. So, if you invest money in a business and the business does not succeed, then you will take a Juju man to the house of your busines Partner. Is that what the law provides for?
I imagined all the crimes the duo had committed. Criminal Trespass, Cyber Stalking and Cyber Bullying, Threat to Life, Conduct likely to cause Breaxh of the Peace, Harrassment, etc. I imagined the court case that could ensue, monies that will be paid to lawyers, bailors, etc. Endless trips from Igbanke in Edo State to Court in Asaba, Delta State. Detention in prison custody before securing bail. Money that will be wasted. All of that over a business debt. In the end, I had to plead with Harrison to kindly let the man go, which he graciously obliged me.
The second case involved a lady on Facebook. She is my friend. She posted damaging things about Harrison. So, I messaged her to ask her if Harrison had offended her personally or if she was just riding on the wave of other people's comments?
I asked her to give me the details of her personal complaint, if any. But if she was riding on the complaints of other people, I asked her if she had investigated those complaints to determine their veracity. Of course, she had no answer. Till now. There is a deafening silence from her end.
I would like to advise all and sundry, freely, to be careful how you write or post anything about Harrison or anybody for that matter on social media. Note that it is a cyber crime to post material or information about anyone that you knew or ought to know to be false. I'm putting it simply here. It is also a civil tort of defamation. If you are sued and found liable by the Court of law, you could pay millions of naira in damages as well as refund the money you made from monetisation of the defamatory material. This is no joke, please.
So, if you receive a Court Summons, you will be on your own. it will not be a defence to say, "I merely re-posted what VDM posted on social media". VDM will not come to help you. You may be living abroad, but we can enforce the Judgment from a Nigerian Court across borders and across payment systems that will leave you dizzy. You will be amazed. Your cryptocurrency could be seized by a Court to satisfy the judgment debt. Your house could also be seized, or your car, or money in your bank accounts. Just because of one reposted statement which did not concern you personally.
Remember the law that every publication or re-publication or subsequent publication of a defamatory matter is itself a ground for a fresh cause of action. So, Harrison could decide to sue not only people who posted, but also those who reposted the offending materials. The list could be endless.laayera could spend years on these cases, ans be smiling to the banks, at your expense. Just continue.
Also, remember that some content creators have money to pay lawyers and even pay damages if necessary. Do you have such money? In addition, some people can beg and plead for mercy in private, even to the point of kneeeling down, if sued. Can you throw away your pride and beg?
Why not thoroughly investigate an allegation before you post or repost it? Consider the case of a man who sent money as a gift to his girlfriend in Nigeria. Instead of wasting the money, the wise girlfriend bought a car with it in her name. But after they split up, the man asked for all his gifts and money to be returned by the girl. Imagine. Asking a former girlfriend to return properties and gifts. As Professor Gehgeh would ask, what about the "opueh" that he "gbanshed" mercilessly? Hope he will also return them and the pleasure derived therefrom to the girl?
Anyway, when the girlfriend refused, the man contacted Harrison to assist. In the process, Harrison discovered that the man did not have any claim to the car because it was bought in the girl's name. The man simply had no title to the car. So, the girl kept the car. But in the interim, the girl sold the car. Now, the boyfriend has been all over social media accusing Harrison of recovering and selling his car. Harrison has been called all manner of names, including Anini, the Hushpuppy of Niger Delta, etc. Over a car that he did not sell. Imagine the defamation?
People are re-posting the false allegations. Assuming Harrison sues them, what would be their defence? That someone else posted it first? Or that they merely reposted what they saw on social media?
I bet you that all the allegations against Harrison have two sides to the story. Yes. Including the N5.4 million allegation on which some persons are building social media following. Although Harrison has chosen to reticent about it, because someone has not been released. But ask yourself, how can Kidnappers tell anyone that ransom was not complete? When did they count N20 million in the middle of night, and in the pitch darkness of the forest? Who did the counting? The mosquitoes? And yet the woman was released? How incredulous a story. Yet, people have not thought deep about the claims, but have rushed to blame Harrison.
Do not take Harrison's apology as a guilty plea. It is not. Certain sacrifices must be made for peace. In Nigeria, people expect you to fight to rhe end, no matter the cost. But Harrison is sort spokenand soft hearted. All this hullabaloo is not achieving anything. Harrison wants it to go away. But people would rather focus on trivialities, instead of the substance.
Please, remember that in dafamation law, you can post a statement in a way that gives it what lawyers call "an innuendo", which will make it defamatory. Make of this what you will.
This is just an advise. You do not have to heed it. Keep posting. But also keep your money to pay a lawyer and to pay huge compensation to Harrison if a judgment sum is awarded against you.
But most of all, when you hear of a kidnapping, leave the comfort of your home and proceed to the bush to rescue the victims. Do not just sit behind your phone, cameras or computers. Nay. Go to rescue the victims.
Only then will you realise that it is easy to look down on a giant when you are standing on his shoulders.
As for me, I encourage Harrison not to give up his good work for humanity. I stand with Harrison Gwamnishu.
©Dele Igbinedion Esq
