Nigerian Court Dismisses Lawsuit by Binance Executive No Violation of Human Rights Found
In a surprising twist of events for Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive at the company, faced a 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. This turn of events has the potential to escalate into an international conflict.
The court’s decision was primarily due to Anjarwalla’s lack of legal representation after his lawyer withdrew from the case. Anjarwalla, who holds citizenship in both Britain and Kenya, had escaped Nigerian custody on March 28 amid concerns about Binance’s operations in the country.
According to reports, Binance’s lawyer, Tonye Krukrubo, stepped down from the case to allow Anjarwalla to seek new representation. By the time Anjarwalla had fled to Kenya, the court had postponed proceedings until June 19 to give him time to hire new lawyers.
Meanwhile, another Binance executive, Tigran Gambaryan, remains detained at Kuje Prison in Nigeria on money laundering charges. Despite the Federal Inland Revenue Service dropping charges against him, the Nigerian government is still in discussions with Binance regarding regulatory issues.
Anjarwalla alleged that Nigerian government entities violated his constitutional rights by unlawfully detaining him, causing distress to him and his family. However, the court dismissed his human rights case due to a lack of diligent prosecution. Gambaryan’s case is scheduled for a hearing on July 9.
The situation has led to increased tensions between the US and Nigeria, with the possibility of US government involvement in Gambaryan’s case. FBI Director Christopher Wray recently met with Nigeria’s President to discuss diplomatic efforts to secure Gambaryan’s release. US lawmakers have criticized Nigeria’s actions as unfounded and coercive against Binance, calling for Gambaryan’s freedom.
Binance maintains that Gambaryan does not play a significant role in the company and opposes his continued detention while negotiations with Nigerian authorities are ongoing.
The crypto market has seen a surge in activity due to regulatory relief and whale activity. As the situation continues to unfold, the question remains: will the US intervene? Share your thoughts on this developing story.