The United States is pressing for consular access to Tigran Gambaryan, a detained Binance executive currently held at the Kuje custodial centre in Abuja.
Gambaryan, a US citizen and Binance’s financial crimes compliance chief, was arrested in February 2024 alongside another executive, Anjarwalla, upon their arrival in Nigeria. Their detention is linked to an investigation that allegedly tied Binance to money laundering and terrorism financing.
A senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the US is particularly concerned about Gambaryan’s health. “I only know that the US is concerned about the man’s health, especially now that his family has gone public in the US with the matter. 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),” the official said.
Gambaryan’s family has raised concerns about his well-being, alleging that he is being denied access to a wheelchair. Binance CEO Richard Teng has also called for his release, citing claims of deteriorating health and inadequate medical care. Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled October 9 to rule on a fresh bail application brought forward by Gambaryan’s lawyers.
Reacting to the situation, retired Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico and Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, supported the US request for consular access, emphasizing that it should not interfere with Nigeria’s legal process. “The US is right in requesting consular access to the detained Binance executive,” he said. “Nigeria does not interfere when Nigerians are arrested for criminal activities in the US. We allow the US legal system to proceed without interference.”
Ambassador Rasheed Akinkuolie, a retired Consul to Cameroon and Delegate to the World Expo and Economic Development Centre in Paris, stressed the importance of embassies in protecting their citizens detained abroad. “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. The embassy needs to be informed to ensure that the individual is not mistreated or unjustly punished,” he explained.
Akinkuolie further noted that embassy involvement often leads to better treatment for detainees. “When the embassy is involved, the host country becomes more cautious in their handling of the detainee,” he added, underscoring the critical role embassies play in providing support and ensuring fair treatment for their nationals abroad.
