The Nigerian cryptocurrency community is demanding transparency from Binance following allegations of attempted bribery by an unidentified official. In an interviews local stakeholders expressed concerns that mishandling the situation could tarnish Nigeria’s image within the crypto industry.
Rume Ophi, Executive Secretary of the Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), highlighted the importance of Binance providing specific details to substantiate its claims. Ophi emphasized the need for clarity to prevent any negative repercussions for Nigeria’s crypto sector.
Binance CEO Richard Teng addressed the ongoing detention of Tigran Gambaryan, a former U.S. IRS agent who previously worked with Binance’s financial crime compliance team. Teng disclosed that individuals approached Binance employees with offers of payment to settle the allegations.
Nathaniel Luz, CEO of Flincap, expressed doubts about Nigerian officials approaching Binance but stressed the importance of naming individuals involved to validate the accusations.
The Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously stated that Binance Nigeria operated illegally as it was not registered or regulated. Additionally, the Central Bank of Nigeria raised concerns about suspicious transactions involving Binance.
The situation escalated when Nigerian authorities demanded actions from Binance, including delisting the Nigerian naira and providing detailed user information. This led to the detention of Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla.
The unfolding events underscore the importance of transparency and cooperation between cryptocurrency exchanges and regulatory authorities in Nigeria.
