U.S. lawmakers French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan highlight the poor conditions and medical neglect of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance official detained in Nigeria's Kuje Prison. They urge President Biden to intervene and call for Gambaryan's immediate release, citing wrongful detention and coercion by the Nigerian government.
Two U.S. lawmakers, French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan, have raised serious concerns about the treatment of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance official detained in Kuje Prison, Nigeria. During their visit, they discovered Mr. Gambaryan suffering from malaria and double pneumonia and reported that he had lost significant weight due to inadequate medical attention.
The lawmakers are part of a group of 16 U.S. congressmen who wrote to President Joe Biden on June 4, urging him to intervene in Mr. Gambaryan’s case. Mr. Hill shared his concerns on X, describing Kuje Prison as a "horrible place" and asserting that Mr. Gambaryan is being "wrongfully detained."
In a video statement, Mr. Hill emphasized the urgent need for Mr. Gambaryan’s immediate humanitarian release and the dismissal of all remaining charges. Although tax-related charges against Mr. Gambaryan have been dropped, Mr. Hill insists that the remaining charges are unfounded and constitute an attempt by the Nigerian government to extort Binance.
The U.S. lawmakers argue that Mr. Gambaryan’s detention is part of a broader strategy to pressure Binance, amid allegations from President Bola Tinubu's administration that the company is operating illegally in Nigeria and contributing to the country’s economic difficulties.
The Nigerian government, however, denies these claims, asserting that Mr. Gambaryan is not being held hostage and accusing Binance of engaging in illegal activities that harm Nigeria’s economy. The situation has attracted international attention and increased diplomatic pressure on the Nigerian authorities.
