The United States Government is pushing for consular access to a Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, currently detained at Kuje custodial centre in Abuja
According to a senior official at Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs made this disclosure.
Gambaryan, who holds US citizenship and serves as Binance’s Chief of Financial Crimes Compliance, was arrested in February 2024 along with another executive, Anjarwalla, shortly after arriving in Nigeria.
Their detention stems from an investigation linking the cryptocurrency exchange Binance to allegations of money laundering and financing terrorism.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled October 9 to deliver a ruling on a new bail application submitted by Gambaryan’s legal team.
Amid ongoing legal proceedings, concerns have been raised over Gambaryan’s health, with Binance’s CEO, Richard Teng, publicly advocating for his release.
Yeng cites his deteriorating condition and claims of insufficient medical attention. The Gambaryan family has also raised alarms, accusing Nigerian authorities of denying him access to a wheelchair.
An unnamed MFA official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed the US government’s concern, particularly in relation to Gambaryan’s well-being.
“The US is concerned about the man’s health, especially now that his family has gone public in the US with the matter,” the source said.
While downplaying claims of diplomatic pressure, the source added, “I would not say they are lobbying, they are just concerned that they are not being granted access to the man (being a US citizen). Remember that Binance had their issue in the US as well.”
In response to the US consular request, retired Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico and Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, defended the move, saying it was within the US’s rights to request access to its detained citizen.
However, he also stressed the importance of respecting Nigeria’s legal processes. “The US is right in requesting consular access to the detained Binance executive,” he stated. “Nigeria does not interfere when Nigerians are arrested for criminal activities in the US. We allow the US legal system to proceed without interference.”
A former Nigerian Consul to Cameroon and Delegate to the World Expo and Economic Development Centre in Paris, Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie, also weighed in on the matter.
He emphasized the crucial role of embassies in protecting their nationals detained abroad, irrespective of the charges they face.
“It is the right and function of every embassy to have access to detained nationals in a foreign country, regardless of the offence—be it murder or any other serious crime,” Akinkuolie explained.
He further highlighted that embassy involvement ensures detainees receive proper treatment and legal safeguards.
“The embassy needs to be informed to ensure that the individual is not mistreated or unjustly punished,” Akinkuolie said.
He added that once an embassy is engaged, the host country tends to handle detainees with greater care. “When the embassy is involved, the host country becomes more cautious in their handling of the detainee.”
As the situation unfolds, both legal and diplomatic considerations continue to shape the fate of Gambaryan, with US officials and Binance closely monitoring the developments.
