A civil society organisation, Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative has sought for protection from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led federal government over alleged threat to life.
The group are the petitioners and whistleblowers who unearthed the brazen abuse of the Nigerian Financial system being perpetrated by Binance Holdings
Limited.
The group in a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dated Wednesday 28th, March 202 and jointly signed by Amb. Solomon Adodo, National Coordinator
Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative and Engr. Jator Abido, National Coordinator
Niger Delta Youth Council, reads in parts “We are presently in deep shock and panic as to how the detainee managed to escape without a trace. We are also aware that the Binance Team have a
very significant financial war chest which we can never match. Our fears also stem from the fact that we blew the lid on the terrorism financing serious operations carried out through the Binance platform, We are therefore at very
significant risk alongside our immediate families. We have no where to run to than to the Nigerian government for whom we undertook this daring patriotic task.
“We write as the petitioners and whistleblowers who unearthed the brazen abuse of the Nigerian Financial system being perpetrated by Binance Holdings Limited to notify you of the present threat to our lives and seek protection
from the State through your express Presidential directive.
“It would be recalled that after years of scrupulous investigation and fact findings on the operations of Binance in Nigeria, we identified certain grave infractions perpetrated against the Nigerian government and her people on
the heels of our incontrovertible findings, we sent a petition to the House Committee on Financial Crimes against Binance. This petition was submitted
on 5th December, 2023 by the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, Niger Delta Youth Council and Twenty-one other Civil Society Organisations over irregularities perpetrated by Binance Holdings Limited.
“The said petition listed some of the irregularities perpetrated by Binance to include:
Violation of the Provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and
Prohibition) Act, 2022,
Violation of the provisions of the Investments and Securities Act, 2007 and the Rules on Issuance, Offering Platforms and Custody of Digital Assets (the
“Digital Assets Rules”), May 2022,
Violation of the relevant provisions of Nigeria’s tax laws, Results Cap
evasion in the country.
“The House Committee on Financial Crime immediately commenced action
by inviting Binance to appear and give clarifications on the
allegations.Consequently, the Binance Team honored the summon and cane
into Nigeria for the first public hearing billed for 10th January
investigative hearings of the House led to the unearthing of huge Financial transactions that have been carried out on the Binance platform without
appropriate tax payments or any form of regulation. Please find here under the details of Binance Team who were in Nigeria from 4 to 10″ January
I. Name: Chadwick Jay Keys
Nationality: United States of America
Passport No: 583365639
II. Name: Nadeem Salim Anjarwalla
Nationality: Kenya
Passport No: CK18171
II. Name: Jaroslav Jakubcek
Nationality: Czech Republic
Passport No: 46346218
IV. Name: Larry Geoffrey Cooke
Nationality: South Africa
Passport No: AO9358819
V Name: Tigran Gambaryan
Nationality: United States of America
Passport No: 647268726
VI. Name: Thomas James Gregory
Nationality: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Passport No: 548040267
The Office of the National Security Adviser also commenced an investigation on Binance thereafter. Subsequently two of the Binance Executives – Nadeem
Anjarwalla and Tigran Gambaryan – were invited and detained. However, one of the detained -Nadeem Anjarwalla – escaped from the NSA’s custody
since Friday 22nd March 2024.
“We therefore use this medium to call on you to exercise the powers of the state to grant us and our immediate families the security and other forms of protection we require (within and outside Nigeria) till the conclusive outcome
of the Binance case, as we face very grave danger with our lives at risk. We have firm confidence that you will grant this our prayer considering your sacrifice
thus far.
“We convey assurances of our highest regards and support for your good government”, the group added.
