Chamber of Digital Commerce urges urgent diplomatic action for the release of Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla detained by Nigerian government, highlighting concerns over international law norms.
The Biden administration faces mounting pressure to promptly intervene in the case of Tigran Gambaryan, a former United States federal agent specializing in cryptocurrency, and another Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who have been detained by the Nigerian government since Feb. 26, 2024, without passports.
Urging swift action, the Chamber of Digital Commerce issued a plea via a blog post on March 15, leading the charge for immediate diplomatic measures to address what they perceive as a grave injustice.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the blog post argues that the questionable detention of Tigran Gambaryan sets a troubling precedent, suggesting that any American entrepreneur abroad, particularly those in the cryptocurrency sector, could face similar unjust actions by foreign authorities. The post states:
“The unjustified detention of Tigran Gambaryan transcends mere legal concerns; it is a matter of national pride and safeguarding American citizens globally.”
The Chamber of Digital Commerce contends that Gambaryan’s detention lacks justification, violates due process, and poses a significant challenge to international legal norms and diplomatic relations.
Nigeria, a recipient of over $1 billion in U.S. foreign aid annually, stands as a U.S. ally, complicating the situation in unprecedented ways compared to similar cases in countries with more strained relations with the U.S. Reports about the apprehensions of Gambaryan and Anjarwalla first emerged in late February, with the Financial Times covering the detentions without explicitly identifying them on Feb. 28.
According to statements from their families, Gambaryan, an American citizen, and Anjarwalla, a dual citizen of the U.K. and Kenya, arrived in Abuja on February 25th. Their visit to Nigeria was prompted by an invitation from the government to discuss the ongoing dispute with Binance regarding its alleged illicit activities in the country.
The executives reportedly engaged with Nigerian officials the following day to address the government’s directive for the nation’s telecom providers to limit access to Binance and other cryptocurrency exchanges. Authorities linked the devaluation of Nigeria’s official currency, the naira, and the facilitation of illicit financial flows to crypto exchanges.
Instead of reaching a resolution, however, Gambaryan and Anjarwalla were escorted back to their hotels shortly after the initial meeting. They were then instructed to gather their belongings and transported to a "guesthouse" managed by Nigeria’s National Security Agency, according to their families.
The arrests of Gambaryan and Anjarwalla occurred just days before Binance officially announced its withdrawal from Nigeria on March 5.
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