The spouse of a high-ranking official at Binance, a leading cryptocurrency trading platform, has appealed to the U.S. Congressional delegation in Nigeria, urging their intervention to release her husband, Tigran Gambaryan.
Yuki Gambaryan, the wife of the detained Tigran Gambaryan, implored the visiting U.S. delegation to advocate on behalf of her husband, who is held in custody amidst a government crackdown on cryptocurrency activities in Nigeria.
Notably, Senator Cory Booker, heading a U.S. Senate delegation, met with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja earlier this week. The discussions covered mutual interests between both nations and the state of democracy in Africa. Sources indicate that the visit’s agenda may include requests to the Nigerian government to release the detained Binance executive.
Expressing her concerns, Yuki Gambaryan highlighted her husband’s prolonged detention without formal charges, emphasizing that he is being held accountable for the actions of his employer without due process. She stressed Tigran’s global reputation for collaborating with governments to combat financial crimes, urging Nigeria to directly engage with Binance’s leadership.
In her plea to the U.S. delegates, she stated, “My husband is being held as leverage. As these Members of Congress travel across Nigeria, I urge them to press for Tigran’s release and encourage Nigeria to pursue investigations through proper channels.”
Background:
In February, the Nigerian government reportedly detained two senior executives of Binance over alleged involvement in foreign exchange trading manipulations and speculative activities. Their detention followed Nigeria’s crackdown on cryptocurrency trading platforms.
During their visit to Nigeria, the executives were apprehended by the Office of the National Security Adviser, with one executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, reportedly escaping custody.
However, Tigran Gambaryan, the second detained official, filed a lawsuit against the federal government, alleging unlawful detention and demanding an apology. He accused the government of using his detainment as leverage against Binance.
Gambaryan’s legal action, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/356/2024, underscores the ongoing legal battle surrounding his detention and the broader implications for cryptocurrency regulation in Nigeria.
