NIGERIA’s rising insecurity, weak public institutions, and corruption have created fertile ground for a new class of online-driven figures who position themselves as defenders of justice, human rights, or security, often without formal mandate or accountability. The recent controversy involving activist Harrison Gwamnishu illustrates the complexity and pitfalls of this phenomenon.
In December 2025, Harrison Gwamnishu, a Nigerian activist known for posting about kidnappings and claiming to assist families with rescue efforts, became the centre of a heated public dispute. He was accused by the victim’s family of diverting more than N5 million from funds raised to pay ransom for a kidnapped couple in Edo State before delivering the ransom, and conflicting narratives about how the operation was handled.
Gwamnishu was arrested but released on bail by an Edo State High Court. In a social media video posted on January 3, 2026, he acknowledged mishandling resources given to him to assist in certain cases, and apologised to those affected, including a woman who sent him money.
“I have made mistakes. I own up to my mistakes. In the course of my duty and job, mistakes have been made. I have not been well accountable in managing resources maybe given to me to handle for some cases, I’m sincerely sorry. The woman who sent me N600,000 to carry out her job which I did on my own discretion without proper communication with her. I’m sorry for someone to have sent that money to me, I believe she trusted me. I’m sorry madam Tudja.
” To Franklin who contacted me to assist him in handling the case, then I gave the case out to someone. You know we discussed it and the payment plan. I’ve started paying you monthly. I started in November, I paid for December and I’m supposed to pay in January. I’m going to clear all this money no matter how hard it is for me, I’m going to clear it.
“To everyone who may feel offended by me coming out to apologise, I’m the one who’s wearing the shoe. I made mistakes and I’m the one coming out right now to say I’m sorry. To see people who stood by me when I was locked up coming out to say they are no longer with me, it shows that it’s time for me to say I’m sorry.
“I’m here to apologise to Verydarkman. I hold you in high esteem. From day one, I have never seen you as a bad person. You have done a lot for Nigerians and I too. There are some times you reach out to me in the past and said somebody made a complaint , see how to resolve it. Although, I tried to resolve it but maybe I did not manage it very well. I want to also thank you for speaking for Nigerians,” he stated.
Insecurity, crowdfunding, unregulated roles
Nigeria has been grappling with deepening insecurity from mass kidnappings to communal violence that the government and security agencies have struggled to contain. In 2025 alone, scores of Nigerians were abducted in a series of attacks that highlighted systemic weaknesses in law enforcement and protection services.
As public trust in formal institutions erodes, many families and activists like Gwamnishu use crowdfunding on social media to raise ransom money or logistical support for crisis situations. This trend, while a spontaneous response to insecurity, has elevated individuals like Gwamnishu who step into the information gap offering assistance, often monetised and without regulatory oversight.
The vacuum created by systemic failures has also helped cultivate a class of online activists and influencers who command large digital audiences and position themselves as arbiters of justice or defenders of the public. One prominent example is Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), a social media influencer and activist with millions of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
He built a large following by speaking out against injustice, corruption, and insecurity, often challenging government actions and public figures.
VDM has also been accused in various public forums of controversial conduct related to his Non-Governmental Organisation funding and other disputes, blurring the lines between genuine advocacy and celebrity-style online controversy.
In December 2024, VDM faced social media scrutiny after claiming that N180 million was stolen from his self-titled NGO that was not two months old. He later admitted that that the N180 million was a deliberate prank, explaining that the fabricated story was not just a prank but a meticulously planned social experiment highlighting how quickly unverified information spreads online.
The influencer claimed that N180 million had been transferred to an unknown account, leaving just N20 million remaining. However, his explanation raised doubts, with many questioning its credibility.
He revealed that the stunt was intended to expose what he perceives as “the gullibility of social media users,” noting that the shock value of the prank was evident in the reactions it garnered.
Reports show that the social media critic raised over N33 million within 24 hours in October 2024 to tackle Nigeria’s educational challenges, claiming that the initiative addressed issues such as outdated teaching methods, inadequate resources, and the lack of motivated educators, especially in rural and underserved areas, which attracted more donations with music mogul, Don Jazzy contributing N100 million days later, bringing the total money raised to over N200 million.
VDM criticised some NGOs for misusing funds and enriching themselves rather than serving the public when he was launching the NGO, promising to be transparent with his initiative. He also outlined plans to address issues such as outdated teaching methods, inadequate resources, and the lack of motivated educators, especially in rural and underserved areas.
In the Gwamnishu case, VDM was among those publicly calling for accountability, even alleging that he resisted offers to be paid to stay silent.
These cases show how easily goodwill can be questioned in a context where formal systems have failed to protect citizens. It also highlighted the challenges for digital activism in distinguishing between citizen advocacy for justice and unregulated public figures handling sensitive matters without adequate checks and balances.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.