Wife of Detained Binance Executive in Nigeria Seeks U.S Intervention

The wife of US citizen and Binance executive detained by the Nigerian government has made a heartfelt plea to the United States for assistance.

Mrs. Yuki Gambaryan, whose husband Tigran Gambaryan has been held in Nigeria for over a month without charges, reached out through US Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs for help.

The delegation led by the US lawmakers met with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, advocating for Mr. Gambaryan’s release. According to Mrs. Gambaryan’s statement, her husband was detained without charges for over 30 days, only to later be accused of being responsible for his employer’s alleged actions without any substantial evidence. She criticized the Nigerian government’s approach, stating that her husband is essentially being used as leverage, and urged that the investigation should proceed with Binance through appropriate and internationally recognized channels.

Mr. Gambaryan, who serves as the Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance, along with his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa Regional Manager who has since escaped custody, were arrested by the Nigerian authorities in February. The charges are related to financial and other offences, although details remain unclear.

In response to the ordeal, Mr. Gambaryan has filed a lawsuit against Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing them of violating his fundamental rights. This legal action, spearheaded by his lawyer Olujoke Aliyu of Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, seeks five reliefs from Justice Inyang Ekwo.