Key Takeaways
- Binance's decision to exit Nigeria is complicated by the detention of two senior executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, in Abuja.
- The executives were detained following a meeting with Nigerian officials to discuss the government's concerns over Binance's operations.
- Despite efforts by the US and UK governments to intervene, Nigerian authorities have yet to disclose the reasons for the detention.
Binance finds two of its senior executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, detained in Nigeria.
These executives, US and UK citizens, have been detained without their passports in Abuja for two weeks despite the crypto exchange's recent announcement to cease operations in Nigeria.
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Their detainment comes after a meeting with Nigerian officials to resolve disputes over the crypto exchange's operations.
Gambaryan, who leads Binance's criminal investigations team, and Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Africa based in Kenya, were initially in Nigeria to engage in talks with the government. These talks addressed concerns over Binance's impact on the Nigerian currency and alleged illicit financial flows.
However, the discussions quickly soured, leading to their unexpected detainment at a government guesthouse on February 26, 2024.
The situation has drawn international attention, with both the US State Department and the UK Foreign Office intervening on behalf of their detained citizens. Despite these efforts, Nigerian authorities have remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind the detentions or any charges being considered against the Binance executives.
Gambaryan's wife, Yuki Gambaryan, expressed her concerns:
There’s no definite answer for anything: how’s he doing, what’s going to happen to him, when he’s coming back, and not knowing that is killing me.
Binance is reportedly committed to resolving the matter, emphasizing its detained executives' integrity and cooperation with Nigerian authorities. The crypto exchange is hopeful for a quick resolution that will see Gambaryan and Anjarwalla safely returned to their families.
This situation raises concerns about the safety and freedom of international business personnel and the volatile nature of crypto regulations worldwide.
Binance's parting with the Nigerian market was marked by the crypto exchange's recent discontinuation of all services involving the Nigerian naira (NGN).
