Tigran Gambaryan, a detained executive of Binance, has accused two Nigerian authorities of violating his fundamental human rights in a lawsuit he filed.
According to Thursday’s article by local media site Premium Times, the lawsuit was filed on March 18 against the Natural Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Additionally, Binance’s regional manager for Africa, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has personally filed a case with Justice Ekwo seeking to vindicate his rights. Just like Gambaryan, Anjarwalla is seeking legal recourse after evading legitimate custody on March 22.
When Cryptonews reached out to Binance for comment, they did not respond by the time of press. Legal action is being taken after the executives were arrested and their passports confiscated in February as a consequence of a broader crackdown on cryptocurrency exchanges in Nigeria. According to the Nigerian government, Binance obstructed tax collection from its customers and failed to provide the necessary paperwork, thereby violating local tax rules.
The regular devaluation of the Nigerian Naira relative to the US currency was a factor in this action. The US citizen Gambaryan reportedly claimed in a Financial Times article that his imprisonment and the seizure of his passport violated his right to personal liberty as guaranteed by Articles 35(1) and (4) of the Nigerian Constitution. He requested the quick revocation of his detention and the restoration of his passport.
In addition, he asked the court to permanently prohibit the police from holding him for any future inquiry or requests involving Binance. He also wanted the government to publicly apologize and pay for all of his legal bills.
According to Gambaryan’s supplemental affidavit, he went to Nigeria on February 26th only in his capacity as a representative of Binance, engaging with Nigerian officials at their request to address relevant matters.
Additionally, he said that he was not subject to any allegations of impropriety in Nigeria and that he had not committed any infraction during the meeting.
Although neither executive had formal legal counsel, prominent Nigerian lawyer TJ Krukrubo testified on their behalf during Thursday’s session. On March 26, he informed the court that Anjarwalla had already filed a withdrawal notice.
Justice Echo delayed the case to April 8 because to the absence of counsel. The responders will have more time to prepare, and the applicants will have more time to find legal representation, thanks to this postponement.
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