By Peter Adelowo
The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to disregard any accusation made against government officials by Mr Tigran Gambaryan, an American personnel of Binance who was recently tried in Nigeria for financial crimes.
In a statement, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris says 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.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria notes with concern the outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements being disseminated”
“While the Federal Government of Nigeria was 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 grounds” he adds.
“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 even without formal complaint by anyone” the Minister stresses.
According to the statement, 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.
It adds that 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 statement explains that 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.
According to the statement the Minster therefore urges the public to disregard the false allegations of Mr. Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case.
