Binance’s legal woes in Nigeria are intensifying… The two executives who came to the country to negotiate have finally lodged a complaint against the authorities for alleged violation of fundamental rights.
Legal action taken against Nigerian regulators by Binance executives
On Thursday March 28, a local Nigerian media outlet revealed that one of Binance’s executives has lodged a complaint against the Nigerian authorities, accusing them of human rights violations.
Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance reportedly referred the matter to the Federal High Court of Abuja accusing the National Security Advisor (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of having violated its constitutional rights.
Arrived in Nigeria with his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla to discuss the activities of Binance in the country at the invitation of the government, Gambaryan denounces his arbitrary detention and the confiscation of his passport, in violation of article 35 of the 1999 Constitution.
According to court documents cited by local media, the plaintiff is demanding his immediate release, the return of his passport and an injunction prohibiting any further detention in connection with an investigation into Binance. He also demanded a public apology from the authorities, stressing that he had committed no offence during his stay.
Meanwhile, Anjarwalla, regional director of Binance for Africa, mysteriously escaped from house arrest where he was being held with his colleague Gambaryan.
In addition, at a hearing on Thursday, government agencies were not represented, media reported. The case was therefore adjourned until April 8, 2024.
The case comes against a backdrop of intense tensions between Binance and Nigerian regulators. In February, the exchange was accused of manipulation of local currency which led to the arrest of its two directors. Last week, they were charged with four counts of tax evasion.
As a journalist at Coinpri, I’ve been captivated by the world of bitcoin and blockchain since 2020. The decentralized aspect of Bitcoin particularly piqued my interest. Since then, I’ve been working constantly to spread my knowledge, hoping one day to see a world where everyone fully enjoys their financial freedom.