- ‘We followed due process in Gambaryan’s arrest,’ says Information Minister, Idris
By Abiola Olawale
Sixteen members of the United States House of Representatives have submitted a petition to President Joe Biden, urging him to promptly intervene in the continued detention of an executive at Binance, Tigran Gambaryan.
The petition submitted by the lawmakers alleges that Gambaryan, a United States citizen, is being detained unlawfully by Nigerian authorities.
In the petition, also addressed to the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger D. Carstens, the House members, including Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul of the House Foreign GOP, expressed concerns about the Binance executive’s health and treatment in Nigerian custody.
The lawmakers raised concerns that Gambaryan was forcibly taken to a government-owned house and held without communication for five days.
Part of the petition reads: “He tested positive for malaria, and when he requested hospital treatment, the prison officials declined his request.
“Mr Gambaryan’s health and well-being are in danger, and we fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and preserve his life.”
However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Wednesday, June 5, has said due processes are being applied in all stages of the arrest of Gambaryan.
The minister, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant (Media), Rabiu Ibrahim, said the Nigerian government complied with the law and followed due process.
Idris also noted that Gambaryan received consular access and all due care, following normal diplomatic protocols and the rule of law, adding that the judge in the case has sufficiently posited that bail was denied because of the flight risk, after a co-accused, now the subject of an Interpol warrant, illegally absconded.
Idris said: “At all stages, due process has been followed, and prosecutors are confident of their case, based on the facts and evidence gathered.
“Binance will have every opportunity to defend itself in court against these severe charges of financial crimes against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The next hearing is on June 20, 2024.
“Changpeng Zhao, the billionaire co-founder and former CEO of Binance, is currently serving a four-month prison sentence in the United States after being found guilty of money laundering, while Binance has openly accepted its role in facilitating terrorism, corruption, sanctions busting, and in aiding and abetting paedophile gangs.
“Law enforcement agencies believe Binance operations in Nigeria are part of a broader international pattern. It will be for the courts here, as in other jurisdictions, to hold the company and its executives accountable.”
The New Diplomat recalls that on February 28, 2024, Nigerian officials detained two senior Binance executives: Nadeem Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old British-Kenyan, who serves as the regional manager for Africa, and Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old American in charge of financial crime compliance at Binance.
The executives visited Nigeria in response to the country’s recent crackdown on various cryptocurrency trading platforms. During their stay, they were apprehended by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), and their passports were confiscated.
However, on March 24, a statement from ONSA confirmed that one of the executives, Anjarwalla, escaped from lawful custody.
Subsequently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed five-count charges bordering on alleged tax evasion, money laundering, and others against the cryptocurrency giant and two of its executives, Anjarwalla and Gambaryan.
The court documents reveal that the charges were filed on Thursday, March 28, 2024, before the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja division.
Count one of the charges read: “That you, Binance Holdings Limited (aka Binance), Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla (now at large), between January 2023 and January 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, carried on specialised business of other financial institution without valid licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 57(1) and (2) of the Banks and Other Financial, Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under section 57(5) of the same Act.
“Count two, that you, Binance Holdings Limited (aka Binance), Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla (now at large), between January 2022 and January 2024 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, engaged in business of other financial institution (other than insurance, stock broking and pension fund management) without valid licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 58(5) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.”
