The federal government has dismissed bribery allegations by Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, as false and unsubstantiated.
In a post published on X on Friday, Gambaryan recounted his experiences in the hands of the Nigerian government and some lawmakers.
Gambaryan claimed three lawmakers, including Peter Akpanke and Philip Agbese, demanded a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency payment into their wallets.
He also alleged that Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA), demanded “billions in payouts from Binance for political ambition”.
Gambaryan was detained by the Nigerian government from February 2024 to October 2024 over the activities of Binance in the country.
The house of representatives committee on financial crimes also investigated the cryptocurrency firm.
In a statement on Friday, Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, described Gambaryan’s post as “outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements”.
Idris said the federal government rejected a $5 million offer from Binance to release Gambaryan for a more beneficial settlement with the US government.
“While the Federal Government of Nigeria is hesitant to engage Mr. Gambaryan, given the high-level diplomatic intervention that resolved his case, we are obliged to set the records straight to stop his falsehoods from gaining ground,” the statement reads.
“The first visit by Mr. 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.
“Mr. 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.
“Mr. Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds and following a high-level diplomatic intervention that ended with tangible benefits for Nigeria.”
“The government rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million down payment in exchange for Mr. Gambaryan’s freedom in favour of a more beneficial settlement with the American government.
“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Mr. 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 Mr. 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.”
Idris said the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court.
The minister advised the public not to be swayed by Gambaryan’s “unfounded and malicious claims”.
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