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Binance CEO worries over continued detention of employee in Nigeria
Binance CEO worries over continued detention of employee in Nigeria
Binance’s CEO, Richard Teng, has characterised the detention of its employee, Tigran Gambaryan, by the Nigerian government as ‘unjust’ and a ‘dangerous precedent’ for multinational enterprises.
Teng further stated that, despite Binance’s repeated attempts at constructive engagement and collaboration with Nigerian authorities, Gambaryan remains detained for spurious’ reasons.
Binance’s CEO, in a statement to the press on Tuesday, said, “To invite a company’s mid-level employees for collaborative policy meetings, only to detain them, has set a dangerous new precedent for all companies worldwide.”
He added, “The message from the Nigerian government is clear: we must detain an innocent, mid-level employee, a former U.S. federal agent, and place him in a dangerous prison to control Binance.
“This regrettable turn of events contradicts the spirit of cooperation and transparency that Binance has consistently demonstrated in its interactions with the regulatory authorities.”
Gambaryan and his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla were arrested when they landed in Nigeria on February 26 as part of a criminal inquiry into Binance’s actions.
Anjarwalla escaped incarceration, while Gambaryan remains in captivity at the Kuje Correctional Centre, awaiting the outcome of his bail plea.
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The Nigerian government accused the cryptocurrency firm of rigging exchange rates on its website, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused Binance, Gambaryan, and his fleeing colleague, Anjarwalla, of concealing the source of $35,400,000 in revenue made by Binance in Nigeria, knowing that the money was the result of illegal activities.
Gambaryan, who was charged in April with tax evasion, currency speculation, and money laundering, was set to stand trial on May 2.
However, the hearings were postponed at a federal high court in Abuja due to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) failure to serve necessary files on the defence.
Justice Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, adjourned the hearing to May 17. This delay occurs as Gambaryan awaits a decision on his bail application.
However, the Binance CEO claimed that Nigerian authorities were unlawfully arresting one of the company’s mid-level employees, who lacked decision-making power.
He stated that the issue must come to an end swiftly and that Tigran must be allowed to return home “if we’re going to move forward.”
He underlined Binance’s commitment to cooperation with Nigerian law enforcement, citing over 600 previous voluntary meetings with officials.
According to the cryptocurrency exchange, one of the primary areas of Binance’s work is continued engagement with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to handle potential previous tax issues.
Teng recognised Nigeria’s enormous effect on the future of cryptocurrency firm and the crypto industry within its boundaries, emphasising the need to work with Nigerian authorities.
He also explained cryptocurrency firm’s ambition to collaborate with the Nigerian government to help build a strong economy for the Nigerian people.
“Over the past two and a half years, Binance has worked hard to restructure our organisation and personnel and upgrade our systems. We have new leadership in place with deep compliance experience and impressive backgrounds ranging from top traditional financial institutions and leading tech companies to law enforcement and major corporate entities.”
Teng continued, “We continue to do anything and everything we can to support Gambaryan. This support is unwavering. Tigran did not go to Nigeria as a decision-maker or a negotiator.” He was merely acting as a functional expert in financial crime and capacity building in policy discussions.”
Binance CEO worries over continued detention of employee in Nigeria
News
Osun Orders Weekly Sanitation, Directs Businesses to Clean Premises Every Thursday
Osun Orders Weekly Sanitation, Directs Businesses to Clean Premises Every Thursday
OSOGBO — The Osun State Government has introduced a weekly environmental sanitation exercise, directing traders, shop owners, artisans and other business operators to clean their premises every Thursday between 8am and 10am.
The directive, which takes immediate effect, is aimed at curbing indiscriminate refuse disposal, enforcing environmental regulations and preventing disease outbreaks across the state.
The government announced the measure in a press release dated October 14, 2026, issued by the Office of the Head of Service, Office of the Governor, Osogbo.
According to the statement, the state government recently constituted an Environmental Sanitation Task Force to tackle the dumping of refuse and other forms of environmental infractions in unauthorised locations.
Under the new arrangement, Thursdays have been designated as Environmental Sanitation Day, during which markets, shops, malls, offices and other business premises are expected to be cleaned.
The government directed market operators, shop owners, artisans and owners of business premises to be physically present during the exercise to ensure that their surroundings are properly cleaned and the directive is fully implemented.
The two-hour exercise is expected to promote environmental responsibility among residents and business operators while addressing poor waste disposal practices that could pose health risks to the public.
The government also clarified the role of law enforcement agents who would be present during the sanitation exercise, saying their deployment was intended to support the clean-up effort rather than arrest offenders.
It stressed that the presence of enforcement personnel was meant to complement the efforts of market operators, shop owners and other business stakeholders in maintaining a clean environment.
The government urged residents and business operators to cooperate with the Environmental Sanitation Task Force to ensure the success of the initiative.
The measure forms part of the state’s efforts to improve public hygiene, maintain cleaner communities and reduce the risk of diseases associated with poor environmental sanitation.
Business owners and other affected stakeholders are expected to comply with the directive every Thursday between 8am and 10am, beginning immediately.
Osun Orders Weekly Sanitation, Directs Businesses to Clean Premises Every Thursday
News
Terrorists Storm Borno Military Post in Fierce Gun Battle, Soldiers Feared Dead
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have attacked a military post in Mairari community, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, triggering a prolonged gun battle in which several soldiers were feared killed.
The attack reportedly occurred around midnight on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, when the insurgents launched an assault on the military formation. The confrontation was said to have lasted more than two hours, with heavy gunfire raising tension in the community.
Although reports indicated that the military suffered casualties, the exact number of soldiers killed or injured had not been officially confirmed at the time of reporting. Some local sources reportedly put the death toll at seven soldiers, but the figure remained unverified.
The Chairman of Guzamala Local Government Area, Umar Sheriff, confirmed the attack, saying the terrorists had targeted the military post. He disclosed that no civilian deaths had been reported and that troops had repelled the attackers.
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Sheriff described the incident as an unusually severe assault in the area in recent times. He also indicated plans to visit the community to assess the situation following the attack.
The latest incident underscores the continuing security challenges in Borno State, the epicentre of Nigeria’s more than decade-long insurgency involving Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Both groups have repeatedly attacked military formations and communities across the North-East, particularly in remote areas where security personnel face difficult operating conditions.
Military positions have remained targets for insurgents seeking to disrupt security operations, seize weapons and undermine the presence of government forces. Such attacks have also raised concerns about the safety of troops stationed in isolated communities.
However, as of the time of filing this report, the military had not publicly confirmed the casualty figures from the Mairari military post attack. The reported death toll should therefore be treated as unverified pending an official statement.
Further details are expected as security authorities assess the incident and provide information about casualties and the circumstances surrounding the assault.
Terrorists Storm Borno Military Post in Fierce Gun Battle, Soldiers Feared Dead
News
2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded
2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why some political parties and their governorship candidates were excluded from the final list for the 2027 elections, citing failure to comply with the statutory requirement to submit membership registers before conducting valid party primaries.
The commission said the decision followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring political parties to submit their membership registers within a prescribed period.
The explanation comes amid complaints from affected political parties and candidates following the publication of INEC’s final list of governorship candidates, which omitted several prominent opposition figures.
Among those affected are Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Ladi Adebutu, the party’s candidate in Ogun State.
Pantami’s name was missing despite his emergence from a court-ordered rerun of the PDP governorship primary in Gombe, while Adebutu and his running mate were also absent from the list.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission applied the Supreme Court’s decision when finalising the list.
The judgment arose from an appeal filed by INEC against an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had nullified Sections 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The Supreme Court upheld the provisions, which require political parties to submit their membership registers as a prerequisite for valid party primaries.
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It also upheld INEC’s timetable requiring parties to submit their registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
According to the commission, the apex court held that parties that failed to comply with the statutory requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the elections.
INEC said it was consequently required to give effect to the judgment in accordance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires compliance with decisions of superior courts.
The commission added that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
The omissions have triggered reactions from affected political parties, with the PDP saying it was engaging INEC over the absence of its candidates in Gombe and Ogun states.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has also raised concerns over the omission of some of its governorship candidates, while other affected political groups have indicated their intention to pursue available remedies.
The development has heightened concerns among opposition parties as preparations continue for the February 6, 2027, governorship elections.
INEC, however, said political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the final list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission.
It fixed October 24, 2026, as the deadline for such notifications under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, adherence to the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
The next steps by affected parties will determine whether the omissions can be resolved through the commission’s notification procedure or other legal avenues available to them.
2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded
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