Tigran Gambaryan, Binance Holding Limited’s Head Of Financial Crime Compliance, has sued Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for violation of his fundamental rights, The Matrix has gathered.
Gambaryan, in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 and another suit FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24 by Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance Africa regional manager filed before Justice Inyang Ekwo, on March 18, 2024 by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, from Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm are seeking five reliefs.
Some of the reliefs sought by Garbaryan include a declaration that his detention and seizure of his travel document, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
He prayed to the court to order the NSA and EFCC to release him from their custody and return his passport with immediate effect.
Gambaryan equally sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance.
He also prayed for the cost of the action on a full indemnity basis.
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In a statement in support of the suit, Gambaryan said he is an American citizen who visited Nigeria on February 26, along with his colleague to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria.
Giving an 11-ground argument as to why his application should be granted, Gambaryan said he and his colleague, Anjarwalla, dutifully attended the meeting.
Gambaryan said after the meeting, they were detained by the respondents and had remained in detention since then, adding that he did not commit any offence during the meeting, nor was he informed in writing of any offence he committed in Nigeria at any other time.
“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he said,
Gambaryan also said he was not a member of the board of directors of Binance.
When the two suits were called on Thursday, Tonye Krukrubo, appeared for Anjarwalla and Gambaryan
Krukrubo told the court that though the respondents were served two days ago, they were not represented in court.
The lawyer, however, drew the attention of the court to their notice of withdrawal of legal representation for Anjarwalla filed on March 26, without giving details of why they were withdrawing their legal representation.
Also, upon resumed hearing in Gambaryan’s suit, Krukrubo said though the processes had been served on ONSA and EFCC, they were still within time to respond.
He, therefore, sought an adjourned date, saying the respondents’ time to file their applications would expire next week Thursday.
In his judgement, 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 adjourned the matter until April 8 for further mention.
