The families of Binance executives Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and British-Kenyan Nadeem Anjarwalla, held hostage by the Nigerian government, have been thrown into anxiety and frustration, wondering what would become of the duo over their prolonged detention without any charge.

Messrs Gambaryan and Anjarwalla packed light bags and travelled down to Nigeria on February 25 to honour an invitation from the Nigerian government over controversies that linked Binance to the steep plunge of the naira.

The day after their arrival, both men were whisked from their hotel rooms and taken to a government “guest house,” where they have since been confined against their will. Their travel passports have also been confiscated.

With no criminal charge filed against them, their families are completely at sea and extremely distressed as to why the Nigerian authorities have held them hostage and for how long the incarceration would last.

Mr Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki, has described the last two weeks as the “hardest days of her life.” She said her two children (a four-year-old and a 10-year-old) have become relentless in asking when daddy will return, a question to which she has no answer.

She said the situation had gotten so intense that her four-year-old now spent time in Mr Gambaryan’s home office because “it smells like daddy.”

“My youngest asks when daddy is coming home every day, going into Tigran’s home office because it smells like daddy,” Wall Street Journal quoted Ms Gambaryan to have said.

The wife of the Binance executive further stressed being emotionally drained and worried that she might never see her husband again.

“Sometimes it feels like I’ll never see him again,” Ms Gambaryan told WSJ. “I’m just begging them (the Nigerian government) to let him go.”

Ms Gambaryan said she could sense her husband was frightened by the situation from the few daily messages he was allowed to send under the strict supervision of the security operatives.

“I can tell he’s trying to stay positive, but it’s getting to him. He’s getting impatient, he’s feeling hopeless,” Ms Gambaryan told Wired.

Mr Anjarwalla’s wife, Elahe, expressed worry about her husband, a Muslim, observing Ramadan in detention.

She expressed her concerns that their son would be a year old in a matter of weeks and worried whether her husband would be around to see their child celebrate his first birthday.

“Nadeem is a loving husband and father. He is my best friend,” Ms Anjarwalla said in a statement obtained by Wired. “All I want is for Nadeem to be allowed to come back home to us.”

Further compounding the matter was that the two weeks the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said were required to conduct investigations on the duo elapsed on Monday. But the government has remained mum on whether or not Messrs Gambaryan and Anjarwalla would be allowed to return to their countries.

Representatives of the U.S. Department of State and the UK’s Home Office have visited their citizens held hostage by the Nigerian government under the watchful eyes of the Nigerian security agents.

It is unclear if any decisions have been reached to negotiate their freedom

Tinibu's govt is probably trying to make binance agree in paying some billions of dollars before releasing the executives but I don't think that's going to work if they ever agree to pay any money to nigeria it will be in millions not billions.

Mrexcell:
Tinibu's govt is probably trying to make binance agree in paying some billions of dollars before releasing the executives but I don't think that's going to work if they ever agree to pay any money to nigeria it will be in millions not billions.

Ignorance is not bliss o. Nigeria has demanded from Binance a simple list of its top 100 users/clients and their transaction history for at least 6 months of 2023 when the humongous $26 billion was moved through their platform here in Nigeria.

Those information are vital for national security and tax purposes. If Binance could not meet this simple request then they are in serious trouble. All those families being kidnapped and murdered here in Nigeria could sue FG for being complicit because some of the ransoms were laundered allegedly laundered through Binance.

This media blackmail will not work on FG , it has never worked. Even the Binance Founder, CZ, is currently on trial in US and may end up with billions in fines and 18 months in jail after his conviction.

These Binance guys in Nigeria must sing like canary and give Mallam Ribadu and Cardoso and Zach of FIRS the list of those their 100 top users and each of their transactions on Binance for at least 6 months. Shikena.

If they truly do kyc, it shouldn't take them more than 3 working days.

Mrexcell:
Tinibu's govt is probably trying to make binance agree in paying some billions of dollars before releasing the executives but I don't think that's going to work if they ever agree to pay any money to nigeria it will be in millions not billions.

So, he's kidnapping them till they pay ransom?

Not very good for Nigeria's future when we kidnap investors and ransom them. On release they can sue for wrongful arrest and make Nigeria pay, and their experience will chase investors away.

Opposition are mumu in this country sha, look at the headline, look at the news, they don't mind anything that undermines the interests of the country. I have not seen any stupid news in the US since the founder been going under trial. The opposition even voted to ban tiktok in US to protect their country but for naija, opposition are wailers.

budaatum:


So, he's kidnapping them till they pay ransom?

Not very good for Nigeria's future when we kidnap investors and ransom them. On release they can sue for wrongful arrest and make Nigeria pay, and their experience will chase investors away.

Are u in support of how the binance is use for fraud and kiling our naira? Sometimes it takes a government to break law's and orders to cumb cuprit and criminals

Anybody now wet Nigerian government invite...no go show😊

FreeStuffsNG:

Ignorance is not bliss o. Nigeria has demanded from Binance a simple list of its top 100 users/clients and their transaction history for at least 6 months of 2023 when the humongous $26 billion was moved through their platform here in Nigeria.

Those information are vital for national security and tax purposes. If Binance could not meet this simple request then they are in serious trouble. All those families being kidnapped and murdered here in Nigeria could sue FG for being complicit because some of the ransoms were laundered allegedly laundered through Binance.

This media blackmail will not work on FG , it has never worked. Even the Binance Founder, CZ, is currently on trial in US and may end up with billions in fines and 18 months in jail after his conviction.

These Binance guys in Nigeria must sing like canary and give Mallam Ribadu and Cardoso and Zach of FIRS the list of those their 100 top users and each of their transactions on Binance for at least 6 months. Shikena.

If they truly do kyc, it shouldn't take them more than 3 working days.

Is there grey matter still left in your cranium? Your little god is yet to confront the visible corruption everyone is seeing na blockchain be his problem. NOw ur oga that foreigners can trade naira on binance with their usdt so not necessarily nigerians

enochogaga:


Are u in support of how the binance is use for fraud and kiling our naira? Sometimes it takes a government to break law's and orders to cumb cuprit and criminals

No, I am not in support of "how the binance is use for fraud and kiling our naira", if they have done what you suggest. I am not in support of Nigeria holding people without charge neither.

If they did what you suggest, then charge them with the crime. Refuse them bail even. Don't just throw people in jail without charge is what I do support.

Putindbutt:
Opposition are mumu in this country sha, look at the headline, look at the news, they don't mind anything that undermines the interests of the country. I have not see any stupid news in the US since the founder been going under trial. The opposition even voted to ban tiktok in US to protect their country but for naija, opposition are wailers.

How many US tabloid do you read?

That is agbadorian government for you. They can throw you in jail without even convicting you. Even court cannot stop them from doing what the want to do to you. Ask emeifula ? And they have foot soldier online to roast you

Lol Nigeria disgracing their selves up and down
Imagine locking someone without a reasonable reason

FreeStuffsNG:

Ignorance is not bliss o. Nigeria has demanded from Binance a simple list of its top 100 users/clients and their transaction history for at least 6 months of 2023 when the humongous $26 billion was moved through their platform here in Nigeria.

Those information are vital for national security and tax purposes. If Binance could not meet this simple request then they are in serious trouble. All those families being kidnapped and murdered here in Nigeria could sue FG for being complicit because some of the ransoms were laundered allegedly laundered through Binance.

This media blackmail will not work on FG , it has never worked. Even the Binance Founder, CZ, is currently on trial in US and may end up with billions in fines and 18 months in jail after his conviction.

These Binance guys in Nigeria must sing like canary and give Mallam Ribadu and Cardoso and Zach of FIRS the list of those their 100 top users and each of their transactions on Binance for at least 6 months. Shikena.

If they truly do kyc, it shouldn't take them more than 3 working days.

This your assumption is based on hearsay

It has not been substantiated by any government official.

For the unteenth time, focus on selling your free stuff; Tinubu cannot be whitewashed.

FreeStuffsNG:

Ignorance is not bliss o. Nigeria has demanded from Binance a simple list of its top 100 users/clients and their transaction history for at least 6 months of 2023 when the humongous $26 billion was moved through their platform here in Nigeria.

Those information are vital for national security and tax purposes. If Binance could not meet this simple request then they are in serious trouble. All those families being kidnapped and murdered here in Nigeria could sue FG for being complicit because some of the ransoms were laundered allegedly laundered through Binance.

This media blackmail will not work on FG , it has never worked. Even the Binance Founder, CZ, is currently on trial in US and may end up with billions in fines and 18 months in jail after his conviction.

These Binance guys in Nigeria must sing like canary and give Mallam Ribadu and Cardoso and Zach of FIRS the list of those their 100 top users and each of their transactions on Binance for at least 6 months. Shikena.

If they truly do kyc, it shouldn't take them more than 3 working days.

Even if they agree to release the list I can bet my balls that this corrupt tinibu's govt won't still do the nigerians involved in money laundering anything cause the culprits will still definitely be corrupt apc politicians who have been in govt for the past eight years not yahoo boys or legit crypto traders. What has happened to beta edu who was caught laundering public funds to a private bank account? Absolutely nothing was done to her till now. This stalemate will only end with binance agreeing to pay some few millions to nigeria and that's the end of it all just watch after all binance is not even a registered organization here in nigeria so it's not binding to them to obey nigerian laws in their operations. Tinibu's govt should be very careful so that this matter won't end up turning against nigeria.

budaatum:


No, I am not in support of "how the binance is use for fraud and kiling our naira", if they have done what you suggest. I am not in support of Nigeria holding people without charge neither.

If they did what you suggest, then charge them with the crime. Refuse them bail even. Don't just throw people in jail without charge is what I do support.

Bro there are so many unlawful detection even ki-llings the so called countries we think that they followed law and oders do for the interest of their country, u will be surprised

Mrexcell:
Tinibu's govt is probably trying to make binance agree in paying some billions of dollars before releasing the executives

You're wrong

Mrexcell:
Tinibu's govt is probably trying to make binance agree in paying some billions of dollars before releasing the executives but I don't think that's going to work if they ever agree to pay any money to nigeria it will be in millions not billions.

That is Kidnapping if what you said is the intention. BTW is binance holding any FG funds? I understand binance I a platform to trade coins by individuals, So which money are they going to refund FG?

FreeStuffsNG:

Ignorance is not bliss o. Nigeria has demanded from Binance a simple list of its top 100 users/clients and their transaction history for at least 6 months of 2023 when the humongous $26 billion was moved through their platform here in Nigeria.

Those information are vital for national security and tax purposes. If Binance could not meet this simple request then they are in serious trouble. All those families being kidnapped and murdered here in Nigeria could sue FG for being complicit because some of the ransoms were laundered allegedly laundered through Binance.

This media blackmail will not work on FG , it has never worked. Even the Binance Founder, CZ, is currently on trial in US and may end up with billions in fines and 18 months in jail after his conviction.

These Binance guys in Nigeria must sing like canary and give Mallam Ribadu and Cardoso and Zach of FIRS the list of those their 100 top users and each of their transactions on Binance for at least 6 months. Shikena.

If they truly do kyc, it shouldn't take them more than 3 working days.

Nonsense as usual. Is binance a registered Nigerian company? Even if. If govt want information from them not by Kidnapping or holding them to ransome. Their should be a proper channel to do that. Nigeria always act like non state actors.