The Nigerian Federal Government has refuted Gambaryan’s allegations and calls on the public to disregard any false information against its officials.
The FG urged citizens to disregard any untrue claims made by Binance’s American staff member, Mr. Tigran Gambaryan.
On Friday in Abuja, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, publicly released a statement.
The government, through Idris, condemned the deceptive narratives and defamatory assertions spread by Gambaryan, who recently faced prosecution for financial crimes in Nigeria.
According to Idris, the government, though hesitant to respond to Gambaryan following the diplomatic efforts that resolved his case, feels duty-bound to refute his falsehoods before they gain traction.
“The first visit by Gambaryan and his colleagues to Nigeria was discretional on their part, and the Government was not officially involved”.
“However, when the attention of the government was called to an alleged bribery demand during that trip, an investigation was immediately opened into it; though there was no formal complaint by anyone”.
“Gambaryan’s second visit to Nigeria was part of a wider probe into the criminal manipulation of the Nigerian currency through peer-to-peer platforms like Binance, but investigators were frustrated by the tactics deployed by Gambaryan and his team,” Idris said.
He explained that Nigeria granted Gambaryan release in October 2024 due to humanitarian concerns and after diplomatic discussions that led to tangible rewards for the nation.
The minister noted that the government rejected Binance’s $5 million proposal for Gambaryan’s freedom and instead secured a more rewarding agreement with the American government.
“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case, and we urge the public to disregard these false accusations in their entirety”.
“It is essential to note that Gambaryan’s allegations are not only unsubstantiated, but also lack credibility, given his apparent motive to discredit and intimidate those who ensured he faced justice”.
“However, we are confident that both the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court”.
“Until then, we advise the public to exercise caution and not be swayed by Gambaryan’s unfounded and malicious claims,” the minister said. (NAN)
Gambaryan took to X on February 14, 2024, to denounce Nigerian authorities for unjustly detaining him, insisting that his meetings had no connection to any official probe.
He maintained that Nigerian officials originally invited him, only to exploit him as leverage before hurriedly filing false allegations. He further rejected assertions that humanitarian reasons led to his release, pointing out contradictions in official reports about his health.
The Binance staff member criticized the probe for neglecting his testimony and condemned the damage it did to both his personal and professional life. Appreciating U.S. intervention, he maintained that his statements came from firsthand knowledge.
Five months ago, US lawmakers sought the release of Tigran Gambaryan. Shortly after, he was released.
