Binance Executive’s Nigerian Ordeal: Detention, Demands, and a Daring Escape
[dropcap]B[/dropcap]inance executive Tigran Gambaryan found himself in a nightmarish standoff with Nigerian authorities, facing demands he could not fulfil.
Also read: Untold story of Binance executive’s descent into Nigerian prison (Part III)
The drama began when he and fellow executive Nadeem Anjarwalla were detained and pressured to force Binance into handing over user data, shutting down peer-to-peer trading, and paying billions in fines.
Despite asserting that he had no decision-making power in Binance’s operations, Gambaryan was met with aggressive interrogations.
Nigerian officials accused the crypto exchange of fuelling the naira’s decline, while Binance executives received backchannel demands for exorbitant payments.
The pressure escalated, with officials showcasing weapons and invoking their connections to the FBI.
Refusing to comply, Gambaryan demanded legal representation and US embassy access—both denied.
Frustrated, he launched a hunger strike, forcing officials to eventually grant him contact with Binance’s Nigerian attorneys.
Meanwhile, Anjarwalla, struggling with captivity, suffered a panic attack, leading to a tense hospital visit.
After two weeks, Binance shut down naira trading, leading the EFCC to promise the men’s release.
But before they could leave, the government demanded full compliance on data handover. When Binance refused, their release was revoked, and they were sent back into detention.
As news of their detention leaked, officials accused them of betrayal.
The situation dragged on until, after nearly a month, Anjarwalla pulled off a daring escape.
Using his Kenyan passport, he slipped past guards, reached the airport, and fled Nigeria.
Left alone, Gambaryan recorded a desperate video plea to Binance and the US government, fearing his fate in Nigerian custody.
Also read: Untold story of Binance executive’s descent into Nigerian prison (Part V)
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
