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A Nigerian court in Abuja has dismissed the human rights suit filed against the Nigerian authorities by a Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla.
Anjarwalla, the regional Africa head for Binance, and Tigran Gambaryan, who heads Binance’s Financial Crime Compliance, were detained on February 28 after meeting with the country’s officials to settle regulatory disputes.
Nigeria clamped down on cryptocurrency exchanges, with its central bank governor singling out Binance for public rebuke over alleged currency manipulation and illicit transactions.
Anjarwalla, a Kenyan Briton, sued Nigeria’s national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the country’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in March for human rights abuses. Specific allegations included mistreatment during detention and a violation of due process rights. He later fled the country after escaping custody.
Per reports in local media, Anjarwalla is believed to have used a concealed passport to flee the country to an unknown destination. Nigeria is reportedly working with INTERPOL to facilitate his return.
Following Anjarwalla’s escape, the Binance staff’s Nigerian lawyer, Tonye Krukrubo, withdrew his representation.
Binance did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Decrypt.
The court ruled against Anjarwalla, citing his absence of legal representation. The dismissal was issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo, according to court proceedings reviewed by Decrypt.
Gambaryan, who also sued Ribadu and the EFCC at the same time as Anjarwalla, will still have his day in court. Justice Ekwo adjourned his hearing to July 9, but slapped a 50,000 naira fine ($33) on his lawyer for requesting to amend the suit.
Krukrubo is also Gambaryan’s lawyer, the government-owned News Agency of Nigeria reported.
Despite Nigeria dropping tax evasion charges against him and Anjarwalla earlier in the month, Gambaryan remains in custody in a maximum security prison in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja.
Binance CEO said last month that Nigeria is holding Gambaryan to pressure the crypto exchange.
“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,” Richard Teng said in a statement on May 7.
Edited by Stacy Elliott.