Former Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan has accused Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of demanding billions of naira to fund his political ambitions.
Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and former head of financial crime compliance at Binance, made the allegations in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) while recounting his eight-month detention in Nigeria.
According to him, Ribadu initially sought payouts but was forced to abandon his demands when a corruption scandal emerged.
“Ribadu emphasized that he wanted billions in payouts to fund his future political ambition. However, when the corruption scandal came to light, he was trapped—because any settlement would now be perceived as a bribe,” Gambaryan alleged.
He further claimed that Nigerian authorities pressured Nizamiya Hospital to deny him treatment and withheld his medical records from his legal team. The alleged interference was later confirmed by Turkish health officials, he said.
Gambaryan also accused Ribadu of hiring a U.S. law firm to negotiate his release, which he described as a failure due to incompetence and greed.
“Ribadu overstepped his authority and embarrassed Nigeria in front of U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. His actions angered the White House, leading to diplomatic repercussions. The U.S. limited visas for the Nigerian delegation at the UN General Assembly, and President Biden refused to meet with Tinubu until my case was resolved,” he claimed.
Gambaryan was arrested in February 2024 as part of Nigeria’s crackdown on Binance over allegations of financial misconduct and manipulation of the naira. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) later charged him with money laundering, but the charges were eventually dropped.
Concluding his statement, he said, “I met amazing people in Nigeria. It’s a shame that these muppets are in charge.”
The allegations have sparked fresh controversy around Ribadu, a former EFCC chairman, as observers await an official response from the NSA’s office.
