Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Friday said the government concern over the outrageous allegations, misinformation, and defamatory statements disseminated by Gambaryan who was recently tried in Nigeria for financial crimes.
He said that while the government is hesitant to engage Gambaryan, given the high-level diplomatic intervention that resolved his case, it was however obliged to set the records straight to stop his falsehoods from gaining grounds.
“The first visit by Gambaryan and his colleagues to Nigeria was discretional on their part, and the Government was not officially involved.
“However, when the attention of the government was called to an alleged bribery demand during that trip, an investigation was immediately opened into it; though there was no formal complaint by anyone.
“Gambaryan’s second visit to Nigeria was part of a wider probe into the criminal manipulation of the Nigerian currency through peer-to-peer platforms like Binance, but investigators were frustrated by the tactics deployed by Gambaryan and his team,” Idris said.
The minister further explained that Gambaryan was released by the Nigerian government in October 2024 on humanitarian grounds, and following a high-level diplomatic intervention that ended with tangible benefits for Nigeria.
He added that the government rejected Binance’s offer of a $5 million down payment in exchange for Gambaryan’s freedom, in favour of a more beneficial settlement with the American government.
“We categorically deny the retaliatory claims made by Gambaryan against Nigerian officials involved in his case, and we urge the public to disregard these false accusations in their entirety.
“It is essential to note that Gambaryan’s allegations are not only unsubstantiated, but also lack credibility, given his apparent motive to discredit and intimidate those who ensured he faced justice.
“However, we are confident that both the Nigerian and American judicial systems will provide Gambaryan with a fair opportunity to substantiate his claims in court.
“Until then, we advise the public to exercise caution and not be swayed by Gambaryan’s unfounded and malicious claims,” the minister said. (NAN)
