Detained Binance Executive Attempts Escape from Kuje Correctional Facility, EFCC Raises Alarm

Binance Executive Attempts Escape from Kuje Correctional Facility

The detained Binance Holdings Limited executive, Tigran Gambaryan, has made a daring attempt to escape from the Kuje Correctional Facility, according to sources familiar with the situation. Gambaryan, who is currently remanded in the facility, reportedly applied for a new United States passport under false pretenses, claiming that his seized passport was missing.

The Armenian-born Binance executive, who holds both American and Armenian passports, allegedly told the US Embassy in Abuja that he had lost his passport, which is currently in the possession of the EFCC. This development has raised concerns among anti-graft officials, who fear that Gambaryan may attempt to flee Nigeria, similar to his colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped to Kenya.

Sources close to the investigation revealed that Gambaryan’s escape plan was foiled when the US embassy flagged his request for a new passport and alerted the EFCC. The agency, in turn, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to reject Gambaryan’s bail application, citing the risk of him fleeing the country.

The EFCC prosecutor, Ekele Iheanacho, highlighted Gambaryan’s alleged plot to obtain a new passport to facilitate his escape, despite being aware that his original passport was seized by the authorities. The agency has accused Gambaryan, Anjarwalla, and Binance Holdings Limited of money laundering, involving the concealment of funds generated in Nigeria.

In opposing Gambaryan’s bail application, Iheanacho emphasized the risk involved in releasing a foreign national with no ties to the Nigerian community. He pointed to the previous escape of Anjarwalla as a cautionary tale and stressed the importance of keeping Gambaryan in custody.

With the EFCC’s intelligence information suggesting a potential flight risk, the court is being urged to prioritize public safety and deny bail to Gambaryan. The case continues to unfold as authorities work to prevent any further escape attempts from the detained Binance executive.