Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, is taking legal action against the Nigerian government after his detention in the country. He alleges that his detainment, which began soon after his arrival in February, and the seizure of his passport violates Nigeria’s constitution, which pledges to protect individual liberty. According to Gambaryan, the Nigerian government is leveraging his detainment to put pressure on Binance.
Gambaryan has petitioned the Federal High Court in Nigeria to compel the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to apologize for their actions. He suggested that Nigeria could utilize other methods to communicate with Binance, and has urged the court to order the immediate release of his passport and issue a public apology.
Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s regional manager for Africa who was detained with Gambaryan, brought forward similar concerns. He has since managed to evade detention in Nigeria.
During a recent court appearance, Gambaryan’s attorney asked Justice Inyang Ekwo for a delay to allow ONSA and the EFCC time to respond. The adjournment was granted and the case has been rescheduled for April 8th.
Among Nigeria’s cryptocurrency enthusiasts, there is much speculation about the situation. Some are doubtful of Gambaryan’s likelihood to receive suitable redress in a Nigerian court. There are also questions about the timing of Gambaryan’s legal action and whether it was influenced by Anjarwalla’s escape.
Both Gambaryan, a US citizen, and Anjarwalla, who has British and Kenyan citizenship, arrived in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, on February 25th. Subsequently, the court allowed EFCC to detain the executives for 14 days and demanded Binance to provide the government with data on Nigerian traders. On April 4th, Binance and its two executives will be arraigned by Nigeria’s Federal High Court. Meanwhile, Interpol’s assistance is being sought by the government to re-arrest Anjarwalla for trial.