NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Federal Government has urged Nigerians to disregard falsehoods being peddled by Binance Executive, Tigran Gambaryan, against Nigerian lawmakers.
Recall that Gambaryan reiterated his allegation that some members of the House of Representatives demanded a bribe of $150 million to secure his release.
In a statement on his handle on Friday, titled ‘Some Unknown Facts’, the Binance Chief alleged that in collaboration with Department of State Sevices (DSS), House members Peter Akpanke, Philip Agbeseand Ginger Obinna Onwusibe demanded $150 million bribe from him to be paid in cryptocurrency to their wallets.
In a statement issued on Friday through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government described the allegation as falsehood.
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Idris clarified that Gambaryan and his colleagues’ first visit 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.
He noted that Gambaryan’s second visit to Nigeria was part of a broader 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 added that Gambaryan’s allegation against its officials lacks credibility; nevertheless, the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Mr. Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court.
The statement reads, “The Federal Government of Nigeria notes with concern the outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements being disseminated by Tigran Gambaryan, an American personnel of Binance who was recently apprehended and tried in Nigeria.
“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 first visit by Mr. Gambaryan and his colleagues to Nigeria was discretional on their part and 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 diplomatic 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.
“However, we are confident that both the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Mr. 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 Mr. Gambaryan’s unfounded and malicious claims.”