Binance Bribery Allegation: Opposition leaders defend Ribadu, say Gambaryan a liar

Two outspoken members of opposition groups in Nigeria have expressed support for National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, following a series of allegations levelled against him by Binance’s head of financial crime, Tigran Gambaryan.

The opposition leaders said Mr Ribadu is a man of integrity and incapable of the allegations levelled against him.

On Friday, Mr Gambaryan accused the NSA of seeking to personally benefit from Nigeria’s dispute with Binance.

“Ribadu emphasised that he wanted billions in payouts to fund his future political ambition,” Mr Gambaryan said.

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The crypto firm’s official also claimed that Mr Ribadu hired a US law firm to negotiate his release from detention while in Nigerian custody but the move failed due to their “incompetence and greed.”

Mr Gambaryan, who was detained and tried in Nigeria for several months, made these allegations on Friday in a series of post on X.

Mr Ribadu has not reacted to the allegations. However, the Nigerian government, in its Friday response, accused Mr Gambaryan of making false claims.

Information Minister Mohammed Idris said the “allegations are not only unsubstantiated but also lack credibility, given his apparent motive to discredit and intimidate those who ensured he faced justice.”

In response, the American insisted, on Saturday, that what he said was factual.

“What I shared was factual, based on my personal experiences and conversations with those who have direct knowledge of the events I discussed.”

He added that he shared the information with both Nigerian and US law enforcement.

Opposition react

A former Nigerian senator, Ben Murray-Bruce, said he believes the allegations against Mr Ribadu are “false and baseless.”

“I have known Mallam Nuhu Ribadu my entire life, and I can say with absolute certainty that he is incapable of the allegations being levelled against him,” Mr Murray-Bruce, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said. He also challenged the Binance official to undergo a “lie detector test” in a neutral country if believes the claims he has made.

“It is exhausting to witness individuals repeatedly dragging Nigeria’s name through the mud with baseless accusations and fabricated evidence,” Mr Murray-Bruce said.

He said individuals like Mr Gambaryan “must be decisively dealt with, ensuring that such reckless fabrications are not only exposed but also serve as a warning to other deceitful actors who seek to undermine Nigeria.”

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In his reaction, a former PDP member and counsel to various opposition groups, Deji Adeyanju, said he believes the allegations against Mr Ribadu are “politically sponsored lies.” He said some politicians feel “threatened” that Mr Ribadu has an ambition to be Nigeria’s president. The NSA has not publicly announced such ambition.

“You can say anything against Nuhu Ribadu but not the issue of stealing public funds or demanding bribes from any human being. Ribadu will never steal $1,” Mr Adeyanju said.

No More Comment

On Saturday, Mr Gambaryan said he is not going to provide more commentary on his Nigerian experience. “I don’t want to see my kids cry because I’m not around. I don’t want to see videos of my 75-year-old mother on television in tears. I don’t want to see my wife crying on TV. I want to put this nightmare behind me and move on,” he said.

The Binance official was released in October 2024 following the intervention of the US government. The Nigerian government also dropped charges against him. The government accused him and Binance of money laundering and encouraging criminality in Nigeria, allegations they denied.