2024-03-29
The detention of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan by Nigerian authorities has sparked a legal battle, with Gambaryan initiating legal action against the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu and the Economics and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over allegations of human rights violations.
Gambaryan, an American citizen who oversees the exchange's crime investigation unit, was detained alongside his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla on February 26 as part of investigations into Binance's operation in Nigeria.
Gambaryan's legal motion, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, presents five key demands.
Firstly, he seeks a declaration that his detention and the continued confiscation of his passport violated his liberty rights under the Nigerian constitution.
Secondly, he requests a court order for his immediate release and the return of his passport.
Thirdly, he seeks a permanent injunction preventing the authorities from further detaining him in relation to the Binance investigation.
Additionally, the motion demands a public apology and stipulates that the defendants should cover all expenses incurred during the legal proceedings.
Nadeem Anjarwalla initially pursued similar legal action to protect his fundamental human rights.
However, his legal representatives withdrew the motion after he escaped custody on March 22.
The court has adjourned the proceedings to April 8, citing the absence of the respondents and the lack of legal representation for one of the applicants.
Meanwhile, Binance and its executives will be tried on four charges of tax evasion at the Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja.
The charges alleged that Binance failed to register with relevant local agencies and evaded tax responsibilities.
The Nigerian government also accuses Binance of facilitating users who evade tax payments.
Additionally, Binance is accused of neglecting to issue invoices for Value Added Tax (VAT) purposes and failing to deduct these tax payments from its users.
