By Elena R 20 June 2024 | 1:45 pm

No Human Rights Were Violated: Nigerian Court Throws Out Lawsuit by Binance Exec

Nigerian Court Targets Binance in Forex Manipulation Probe

The post No Human Rights Were Violated: Nigerian Court Throws Out Lawsuit by Binance Exec appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

A dramatic turn of events for Binance! Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive at Binance, recently encountered a significant setback in Nigeria when a federal high court dismissed his human rights lawsuit against the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

But there’s more to this story. Keep reading to find out how this is escalating into a potential international clash.

Trouble With the Authorities

The court decision was largely due to Anjarwalla’s lack of legal representation after his lawyer withdrew from the case. Anjarwalla, who holds dual British and Kenyan citizenship, had fled Nigerian custody on March 28th amidst regulatory concerns surrounding Binance’s operations in the country.

According to Nairametrics, Binance’s lawyer, Tonye Krukrubo, stepped down from the case so Anjarwalla could find new representation. By that time, Anjarwalla had already escaped prison and fled to Kenya. The court paused proceedings until June 19 to allow Anjarwalla to appoint new lawyers.

Status of Tigran Gambaryan’s Detention

Meanwhile, Tigran Gambaryan, another Binance executive, remains detained at Kuje Prison in Nigeria. He is facing charges related to money laundering and has been denied bail by the court, which considered him a flight risk. Despite the Federal Inland Revenue Service dropping charges against him, the Nigerian government continues to engage with Binance over regulatory issues.

Allegations of Human Rights Violations

Anjarwalla claimed Nigerian government entities violated Section 35 (1) and (4) of the Constitution, arguing his unlawful detention caused significant distress to him and his family. However, Justice Ekwo dismissed the human rights case due to lack of diligent prosecution. The court has scheduled a hearing for Gambaryan’s case on July 9.

Rising Diplomatic Tensions

This case is increasing tensions between the US and Nigeria, with potential US government intervention in Gambaryan’s case. Recently, FBI Director Christopher Wray met with Nigeria’s President, sparking discussions about diplomatic efforts to secure Gambaryan’s release. US lawmakers have been vocal in calling for Gambaryan’s freedom, criticizing Nigeria’s actions as baseless and coercive against Binance.

Binance insists that Gambaryan is not a significant decision-maker within the company and opposes his continued detention while negotiations with Nigerian authorities are ongoing.

The situation is getting heated. Can the US intervene? Let us know what you think.