Nigeria Counters Binance’s Bribery Allegation, Dismissing it as a Distraction
Nigeria has responded to Binance Holdings’ accusation of bribery, stating that it is merely an attempt to divert attention from the actions of the exchange. The statement, issued on Wednesday, comes after Binance CEO Richard Teng claimed in a blog post that a Nigerian government official had pressured crypto representatives to accept a secret agreement. This agreement was supposedly intended to settle the Nigerian government’s claims against Binance.
The Ministry of Information’s spokesman, Rabiu Ibrahim, dismissed Teng’s allegations of bribery as baseless. He described it as a “diversionary tactic and an attempted act of blackmail.” Furthermore, Ibrahim emphasized that Binance cannot clear its name in Nigeria through fictional claims and media campaigns. The only way to resolve the issues would be for Binance to submit itself to an unbiased investigation and judicial due process.
Binance has not responded to Cryptonews’ request for comment at the time of writing.
Binance Employees Allegedly Faced Threats and a Secret Deal Offer
According to Teng, the House Committee on Financial Crimes in Nigeria threatened to arrest Binance employees and prevent them from leaving the country. After the committee meeting, unidentified individuals reportedly approached Binance employees, offering a secret payment to resolve the situation.
The New York Times reported that this proposed $150 million “settlement” originated from within the Nigerian government.
Executives Detained and Access to Binance Blocked
The conflict between Binance and the Nigerian government began on February 26 when executives Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla traveled to Abuja to address the ongoing dispute. However, they were detained in Nigeria for two weeks without justification and later faced charges of money laundering and tax evasion.
Anjarwalla managed to escape, but was recaptured in Kenya in late April, nearly 3,000 miles away.
The Nigerian government had ordered telecoms in the country to block access to Binance and other cryptocurrency exchanges, citing concerns about the devaluation of the Nigerian currency and alleged involvement of the exchanges in illegal money transfers.
Reports suggest that Nigeria is frustrated with capital leaving the country through the crypto exchange, exacerbating its financial problems.