The Federal Government of Nigeria has strongly refuted the “outrageous falsehoods” being spread by Tigran Gambaryan, an American Binance executive, regarding his detention and legal battles in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, condemned Gambaryan’s claims as “misleading, defamatory, and entirely unsubstantiated”, urging the public to disregard them.
Gambaryan, who was apprehended and tried in Nigeria over allegations of criminal currency manipulation via Binance’s peer-to-peer platform, has since launched a public offensive, making explosive accusations against Nigerian officials.
The government, however, maintains that his narrative is a desperate attempt to discredit those who brought him to justice.
The statement clarified that his first visit to Nigeria was voluntary and not at the invitation of the government.
He said when allegations of bribery demands surfaced, an immediate investigation was launched, despite the lack of any formal complaint.
Idris stated that Gambaryan’s subsequent visit was part of a broader probe into illicit financial operations, during which, according to the FG, his team resorted to obstructionist tactics to frustrate investigators.
While Nigeria ultimately released Gambaryan in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds, following high-level diplomatic intervention, the government flatly rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million settlement in exchange for his freedom.
Idris said instead, Nigeria negotiated a far more beneficial agreement with the U.S. government.
Dismissing Gambaryan’s retaliatory accusations as baseless, Idris assured that both Nigerian and American judicial systems would determine the truth in due course.
“Until then, we urge the public not to be swayed by his malicious fabrications,” the statement concluded.
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