Last week, a Nigerian judge ordered prison officials to transfer detained Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan to a hospital after he collapsed in court. However, Nigeria’s Correctional Service, which oversees the country’s prisons, has yet to comply with the order. This has left Gambaryan, who is suffering from malaria and a severe throat infection, without the necessary hospital care.
According to Yuki Gambaryan, Tigran’s wife, and a government official familiar with the case, Gambaryan remains in a clinic at Kuje Prison. The clinic is poorly equipped and urgently needs refurbishment.
“I am devastated and shocked that, despite the court’s clear directive for his admission to a hospital, the authorities have not allowed him to leave the very prison causing his illness,” Yuki said in a statement to DL News on Tuesday.
Delaying or disobeying court orders is not uncommon among Nigerian officials. However, in this case, the resistance seems linked to efforts by prosecutors and prison authorities to prevent Gambaryan’s transfer to Nizamiye Hospital, the facility recommended by his lawyers. Prosecutors recently requested that the court allow some flexibility in the choice of hospital for Gambaryan’s treatment.
A source close to the matter revealed, “Some people are pushing for him to be transferred to Kuje General Hospital. They feel that it is closer and they don’t know if there are escape plans tied to that hospital his people want him to go to.”
While Kuje General Hospital is closer to the prison, it has a poor reputation for mismanagement. In contrast, Nizamiye Hospital is an upscale private medical complex. Gambaryan’s family continues to express their distress over his situation.
“Tigran does not deserve such inhumane treatment,” Yuki stated. “He has done nothing wrong and is suffering simply because he accepted an invitation to a meeting in Abuja.”
Gambaryan’s current troubles began in February, when he attended a meeting in Abuja to resolve a dispute between Binance and the Nigerian government. The government had accused the crypto exchange of contributing to the country’s currency problems. Accompanying Gambaryan was British lawyer Nadeem Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa manager based in Kenya.
The meeting ended without resolution, and both men were detained. Their passports were seized, and Anjarwalla escaped custody a month later. He has not been seen since, and Interpol has issued a red notice for his arrest.
In April, Nigerian officials escalated the conflict by charging Gambaryan, Anjarwalla, and Binance with tax violations and money laundering.
As Gambaryan remains in Kuje Prison’s inadequate clinic, his wife and family continue to plead for his humane treatment. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between Nigerian authorities and Binance, as well as broader issues of legal and regulatory challenges faced by international firms operating in the country.
