Crime
Binance boss: US congress moves against Nigeria *Our citizen under hostage
Nigeria may be squaring up against the US soon, if Joe Biden, listens to signals coming from the House of Representatives to the effect that Tigran Gambaryan, detained executive of Binance, currently going through legal trial in the country for fraud that he is being held hostage.
Nothing short of his immediate release would be good enough for a group of 16 lawmakers in the lower House in their petition to the POTUS demanding his intervention in asking Nigeria to return the Binance boss and bring him back to the US to face proper investigation.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had arrested Gambaryan, accused alongside the company, of charges including non-payment of value-added tax and corporate income tax, and complicity in aiding customers to evade taxes through its platform, in February this year and held him in a guest house before formal charges were brought against him and Binance in an Abuja court in April.
But the lawmakers who would have none of it, riled against the treatment, saying he was wrongfully detained while also warning that his health was now a big issue and there was danger of him losing his life.
Part of the letter to Biden, on Tuesday read: “On behalf of Mr. Gambaryan, his family, and concerned Americans, we, the undersigned, urgently request and strongly encourage the transfer of his case to the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.”
The letter published by Fox Business correspondent Eleanor Terrett on her X handle on Wednesday, also saw the lawmakers saying that Gambaryan qualified as a “U.S. citizen wrongfully detained by a foreign government” and his detention has been “marked by excessive and harsh treatment.”
Signed by the group which included House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, Michael T. McCaul, a Republican from Texas, it added: “Mr. Gambaryan’s health and well-being are in danger, and we fear for his life. Immediate action is essential to ensure his safety and preserve his life. We must act swiftly before it is too late.”
Gambaryan, Binance’s chief of financial compliance, “has been wrongfully detained since late February after granting the Nigerian government’s request for discussions regarding the crypto giant’s business in the country. The government of Nigeria took Mr. Gambaryan hostage and thus needs his government’s help to be freed,” the group said, while highlighting his work as a former IRS agent who helped lead some of the country’s “most prolific cyber investigations,” including the seizure of $4.725 billion in illicit funds.
The House members’ letter to the President’s office marks the most high-profile move concerning Gambaryan’s case, and marks a significant development, following his family’s continued appeals to the government for help.
The law firm handling Gambaryan’s case previously wrote in a letter to the Nigerian Federal High Court that their client was “very ill” and required immediate and comprehensive medical attention.
Multiple outlets reported that Gambaryan collapsed during a hearing of the case wherein the compliance officer is accused of involvement in Binance’s violations of Nigerian law.
Justice Emeka Nwite ordered for Gambaryan’s transfer to a hospital, but his family said late last month, that he had not been moved to a hospital.
They also revealed that the Binance executive was suspected of having malaria and a severe throat infection.
A spokeswoman for Gambaryan’s family was quoted to have told FOX Business, that Gambaryan is now back in prison, following a brief hospital visit, his health deteriorating rapidly due to poor treatment.
“It has been 100 days since my husband, Tigran, was taken hostage by the Nigerian government. Despite my relentless efforts to bring him home, the fight has been long and difficult. Today, however, it feels like my plea for help may finally be heard by the US government.,” Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan, said through a spokeswoman. “I do hope more members will show their support for Tigran as well and urge the government to take immediate action to bring an innocent American citizen home to his children.”
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
A completely scandalised Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the 2023 presidential election is horrified that Nigeria has descended to the abysmal level of human degeneration where a teacher would be beheaded, recorded and video image shared freely to the public without consequences.
Obi, also former Governor of Anambra State, described the incident involving one of the teachers kidnapped last Friday during an attack on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School all in Esiele community of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as “not just a security challenge but a failure of collective humanity.”
On the heels of President Bola Tinubu’s promise on Monday assuring that all victims, comprising, teachers, staff and student of the said schools, Obi, expressed dismay at the utter degeneration of the Nigerian situation.
Writing on his X, Obi, currently running for presidency on the platform of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said: “Some events shatter a society so deeply that words are no longer enough to express the shock; the brutal killing of a teacher and the horrific rape and murder of an elderly woman are among such tragedies.
“These are not isolated incidents but signs of deeper moral and social decay. How did we get here? How did we reach a point where teachers are hunted and killed, and the elderly—custodians of memory and wisdom—suffer such dehumanising violence?”
Titled ‘A Nation Losing Its HUMANITY’ late Monday, decried the incident and tagged it a sign of moral and social decay, he added: “This is more than a security crisis; it is a failure of collective humanity. We have become desensitised, consuming tragedy briefly and moving on, allowing indifference to normalise the unacceptable.
“To the families affected, I share in your grief. But grief alone is not enough. We must demand accountability and urgent systemic change. If such atrocities no longer move us to action, then we risk losing our shared humanity.”
Obi’s reaction comes after Seyi Makinde, on Sunday, confirmed the killing of one of the teachers abducted alongside other victims and pledged that the government would continue efforts to rescue the remaining abductees.
The governor, who also confirmed that seven teachers and an as-yet-unconfirmed number of pupils were abducted, said one of the abducted teachers, believed to be a Mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists.
He said: “What we know right now is that seven teachers were abducted. Unfortunately, we received a video this morning indicating that one of the teachers, understood to be the Mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists. Our prayers are with the family.”
Social media influencer and relationship therapist, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N36 million fraud case.
She was docked on Friday by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and alleged theft.
According to the charge, Blessing CEO allegedly obtained N36 million from Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye between July 14 and 17, 2024, under the pretence of securing a six-bedroom duplex located in Lekki, Lagos, a statement on the anti-graft agency’s website said.
The prosecution alleged that the representation was false and violated provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
She was also accused of fraudulently converting the said sum for personal use, contrary to the Criminal Code Act.
Blessing CEO pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read in court.
Following her plea, the prosecution requested that she be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial, while the defence counsel said she had only just been served with the charges and was preparing a bail application.
Justice D. I. Dipeolu ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the hearing of her bail application.
The case was adjourned till June 5, 2026, for trial.
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