The recent incident involving the Nigerian government obtaining a court warrant to detain Binance officials has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the rule of law in the country. According to reports from local media outlet Premium Times, the officials were detained for at least twelve days, despite their insistence on being taken to their respective countries’ embassies.
The Nigerian government has accused Binance of exacerbating the country’s foreign exchange challenges by allegedly manipulating rates for profit. This accusation has led to the restriction of access to Binance’s official website and the apprehension of two top executives, creating a tense situation between the government and the cryptocurrency exchange.
Reports have identified the detained executives as Tigran Gambaryan, a former special agent of the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance Kenya. The two have been kept in detention in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, for two weeks without access to their passports, raising concerns about their well-being and legal rights.
The circumstances surrounding the detention of Gambaryan and Anjarwalla have been met with criticism, as they were reportedly escorted from their hotels, asked to pack their belongings, and relocated to a guesthouse managed by Nigeria’s National Security Agency. This treatment has raised questions about the due process and the rule of law in Nigeria, as the officials were invited by the government to address the issues surrounding Binance’s operations in the country.
In response to the situation, Binance has stated that it is working with the Nigerian authorities to secure the release of its detained executives. In a statement provided to CryptoSlate on Mar. 12, Binance emphasized that Gambaryan and Anjarwalla are professionals with the highest integrity, and the company will provide them with all the necessary support during this challenging time.
Overall, the detention of Binance officials in Nigeria has raised concerns about the treatment of foreign nationals and the rule of law in the country. The allegations of manipulation and the subsequent detention of the executives have created a contentious situation that requires careful resolution to ensure justice and fairness for all parties involved.
