Security expert criticises Binance executive’s detention in Nigeria

Former United States Department of Justice’s (DOJ) National Security expert, Andrew Adams, has expressed displeasure over the way the American government handled the detention of one of their citizens, Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, in Nigeria.

He noted that Nigeria accused Gambaryan, a mid-tier employee, whose role at Binance has no connection to the accusation of engaging in a $35m money laundering scheme.

He, therefore, charged the United States to halt forfeiture transfers to Nigeria, as such actions would impose a direct cost on the Nigerian authorities and legal apparatus that is directly implicated by the Binance affair.

“Coincidentally, the Department of Justice in fiscal year 2023 transferred just over $20m to Nigeria through the department’s international sharing programme. In 2020, that amount was over $310m. This should stop.”

“As a discretionary programme, the DOJ, Treasury, and the State Department are all empowered to cease these transfers under the international sharing protocols. They should do so here, when the purpose of the programme, to incentivise foreign partners to uphold the rule of law through cooperation with American enforcement efforts, is frustrated through transparently arbitrary, lawless prosecutions,” Adams said.

According to him, “the discretionary aspect of the programme also provides for negotiating space and diplomatic flexibility. Unlike standard economic sanctions programmes, there is no need for a politically charged “rollback” of an announced designation. United States agencies would simply be poised to resume cooperative sharing based on a straightforward, tangible change in Nigeria’s behaviour, namely the release and exoneration of a wrongfully detained American citizen.”

Adams lamented that the official response from the United States, diplomatic or otherwise, has been lacking, at least in the public forum.

Recall that in late February of this year, two Binance employees were detained by Nigerian officials without notice or a public announcement of charges. In the weeks that followed, Nigerian prosecutors charged the two with money laundering and tax offences.