Tigran Gambaryan, the executive of Binance that is currently detained, has filed a lawsuit against the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, for allegedly violating his fundamental rights.
In the initial motion, dated March 18, and submitted by his attorney, Olujoke Aliyu of the Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, Gambaryan requested five reliefs from Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Additionally, on March 22, Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance in Africa, broke free from legal custody and filed a separate right enforcement lawsuit before Justice Ekwo.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Gambaryan and Anjarwalla sued the Office of NSA (ONSA) and the EFCC as first and second respondents in the cases with the filing numbers FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24.
They both wanted the same kind of relief.
In his application, Gambaryan, a US citizen in charge of the crypto exchange platform’s financial crime compliance, requested a declaration that his arrest and the seizure of his passport for international travel violated Sections 35 (1) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He claimed that the action amounted to a breach of his constitutionally protected fundamental right to personal liberty.
In addition, he asked for an order telling the respondents to immediately free him from their custody and return his passport for international travel.
In addition, Gambaryan requested a permanent injunction prohibiting the respondents and their representatives from holding him any longer in connection with any inquiries made to Binance.
In addition to pleading for the respondents to publicly apologize to him, the official requested full indemnity for the cost of the lawsuit.
In a statement in support of the lawsuit, he identified himself as an American citizen who, on February 26, traveled to Nigeria in company with Nadeem Anjarwalla to accept the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to talk about matters pertaining to Binance in Nigeria.
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He provided an 11-point justification for the approval of his application, citing his and his colleague Anjarwalla’s obedient attendance at the meeting as proof.
He claimed that the respondents had taken the two of them into custody following the meeting and that they had stayed there ever since.
He said that neither during the meeting nor at any other time was he personally informed in writing of any offenses he had committed in Nigeria.
“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he said, adding that he was not a member of the Board of Directors of Binance.
T.J. Krukrubo, SAN, appeared on Thursday when the two suits were called on behalf of Anjarwalla and Gambaryan.
Despite having been served two days prior, Krukrubo informed the court that the respondents were not represented in person.
But the senior attorney brought up the court’s attention to their March 26 notice of withdrawal of Anjarwalla’s legal representation.
Although Krukrubo did not give details of why they were withdrawing their legal representation, this might not be unconnected to the disappearance of the applicant in custody.
Justice Ekwo said having withdrawn their legal representation, “it means that the applicant has no legal representation and requires that the matter be adjourned for the applicant to seek legal representation and for the respondents to be given an opportunity to come to court.”
The judge postponed the decision until April 8 in order to provide more time.
Additionally, during the resumption of the hearing in Gambaryan’s lawsuit, Krukrubo stated that even though ONSA and the EFCC had received process, they still had time to reply.
As a result, he requested an extension, stating that the respondent’s window of opportunity to submit their applications would close on Thursday of next week.
As a result, Justice Ekwo postponed the decision until April 8 to allow for additional discussion.
(NAN)
