Ignore Gambaryan’s false claims against officials – FG

4 total views today

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Federal Government has urged citizens to disregard the falsehoods peddled by Mr Tigran Gambaryan, an American employee of Binance.

This was stated in a release signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, on Friday in Abuja.

Idris expressed the government’s concern over the outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements made by Gambaryan, who was recently tried in Nigeria for financial crimes.

He stated that while the government was reluctant to engage Gambaryan, given the high-level diplomatic intervention that resolved his case, it was nonetheless compelled to set the record straight to prevent his falsehoods from gaining traction.

“The first visit by Gambaryan and his colleagues to Nigeria was discretionary on their part, and the Government was not officially involved.

“However, when the government’s attention was drawn to an alleged bribery demand during that trip, an investigation was immediately launched, despite the absence of a formal complaint from anyone.

“Gambaryan’s second visit to Nigeria was part of a broader investigation 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,” Idris said.

The minister further explained that Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds, following high-level diplomatic intervention that resulted in tangible benefits for Nigeria.

He added that the government rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million down payment in exchange for Gambaryan’s release, opting instead for a more beneficial settlement with the American government.

“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case, and we urge the public to disregard these false accusations in their entirety.

“It is essential to note that 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.

“However, we are confident that both the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court.

“Until then, we advise the public to exercise caution and not be swayed by Gambaryan’s unfounded and malicious claims,” the minister said. (NAN)

Edited by Yakubu Uba

Published By