The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed November 27, 2025, for judgment in a fundamental rights suit filed by Tigran Gambaryan, the former Head of Financial Crime Compliance at Binance, against the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his alleged prolonged detention in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that Justice Mohammed Umar scheduled the judgment date after lawyers representing both sides adopted their final written addresses, Nairametrics reports.
Gambaryan is seeking compensation and a formal apology from the Nigerian government, arguing that his detention was unlawful and violated his constitutional right to personal liberty. The case stems from Nigeria’s investigation into Binance over alleged money laundering and foreign exchange violations.
Legal Battle
In his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/356/2024, filed through his counsel, Tonye Krukrubo (SAN) and Sunday Agaji, Gambaryan asked the court to declare his arrest and continued detention illegal.
He alleged that the Federal Government had used his detention “as leverage to continue making demands on Binance.”
Krukrubo told the court that his client, an American citizen, visited Nigeria on February 26, 2024, alongside Nadeem Anjarwalla, at the invitation of officials from the NSA and EFCC—specifically, Saad Abubakar and Olalekan Ogunjobi. Despite attending the meeting in good faith, Gambaryan was detained and held for months, he said.
According to the motion, his detention from February 26–27, 2024, and from March 12–April 8, 2024, after a remand order expired, “caused immense hardship and emotional distress” to his family.
Government’s Response
The EFCC, in its counter-motion dated July 2, 2024, through counsel Olanrewaju Adeola, urged the court to dismiss the suit. The Commission argued that Gambaryan’s detention was tied to an ongoing criminal trial—FRN v. Binance Holdings Ltd & Anor (FHC/ABJ/CR/138/2024)—before Justice Emeka Nwite, involving charges of money laundering and foreign exchange contravention.
Adeola maintained that the facts in that criminal case were essential to ensuring a fair and consistent ruling in Gambaryan’s rights suit.
Proceedings and Background
At the hearing on October 15, 2025, both parties adopted their submissions, after which Justice Umar adjourned for judgment on November 27, 2025.
The detention of Gambaryan and his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, in February 2024 drew international attention. Nigerian authorities accused Binance of manipulating foreign exchange rates, triggering a broader crackdown on crypto trading platforms.
While Anjarwalla escaped custody and fled Nigeria, Gambaryan remained detained under a court order. Both the EFCC and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) later filed separate charges against Binance, which were subsequently amended to name the company as the sole defendant.
Gambaryan was eventually released by the Nigerian government on health grounds, but his compensation suit against the NSA and EFCC has continued.
