 
 
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao has sparked outrage over allegations bordering on the abduction of two Binance executives in Nigeria. The digital asset community continues to label the Nigerian government as anti-crypto, citing a series of negative policies, while authorities target the largest exchange for allegedly breaching local laws.
Binance Slams Hostile Nigerian Government
Amid mounting United States pressure on the Nigerian government for failure to protect its Christian population, Zhao added to claims of civil liberties breaches in the country. In a recent social media post, CZ wrote that Nigeria kidnapped Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen, for eight months without any crime.
This claim sparked fresh criticism of the Nigerian government, already under fire. In 2023, the local currency, the naira, experienced a massive plunge, affecting the forex markets. At the time, government agencies pointed to several factors, including the activities of cryptocurrency exchanges.
These platforms were accused of facilitating money laundering, resulting in a significant outflow of local currency and negatively impacting the naira. In its response, the government invited two Binance executives and subsequently detained them.
Furthermore, authorities slapped money laundering and tax charges on Gambaryan and his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla. The latter escaped from prison while Gambaryan remained in jail for about eight months, a period in which he was denied certain medical care.
 
Reacting to CZ’s X post, Gambaryan thanked him for support during the phase, adding that Nigeria bragged about extorting the Biden administration for $50 million. Meanwhile, several crypto enthusiasts also recalled the ordeal Anjarwalla faced in jail, citing a breach of fundamental rights.
Nigerian authorities remain at odds with the crypto market, despite several promises to support participants. At the time of writing, the websites of top centralized crypto exchanges remain inaccessible due to a telecom ban, while Binance peer-to-peer has deactivated local naira options.
However, digital assets are captured in the recent tax law set to take effect in January 2026. While crypto users fired shots at authorities, government backers blamed Binance for Gambaryan’s detention.
“Nigeria did not kidnap anyone. The government lawfully arrested and investigated a Binance representative based on credible allegations. Every sovereign nation has the right to enforce its laws and protect its economy. Nigeria operates under the rule of law, with judicial oversight and due process. Calling a lawful arrest “kidnapping” is misleading and disrespectful to Nigeria’s legal system,” an X user wrote.
Source: https://zycrypto.com/binance-cz-accuses-nigeria-of-kidnapping-executive-amid-extortion-claims/