Wia dis foto come from, GettyImages/BolaTinubu
Di Nigerian goment don send serious reply give di biggest cryptocurrency exchange platform for di world, Binance, ova allegations surrounding bribery.
Dis dey come afta di CEO of Binance Richard Teng bin allege say some unidentified pesin for Nigeria bin request for bribe wey go make dem dismiss di case wey Binance bin get wit Nigeria goment.
Binance CEO for im blog post on 7 May 2024 allege say one committee for Nigeria bin summon di local counsel wey dey represent dem at dat time. Im say di committee relay some terms to dem and dem dey demand payment for cryptocurrency in secret.
“Counsel reported back say dem don present am with a demand for a significant payment in cryptocurrency wey go dey paid in secret within 48 hours to make diz issues go away and that our decision was expected by di morning.”
But according to di Nigeria goment through di Ministry of Information and National Orientation, dem say Binance dey make false bribery allegations.
According to one statement wey Rabiu Ibrahim, di Special Assistant to di Minister of Information and National Orientation bin release on Wednesday 8 May 2024, say dat Binance dey try blackmail di Nigeria goment so dem go fit escape di investigations.
“Binance Chief Executive Officer Richard Teng make false allegations of bribery against unidentified Nigerian goment officials wey im tok say dem demand $150m in cryptocurrency payments to resolve di ongoing criminal investigation against di company.”
“Dis claim by Binance CEO dey lack substance. Na tactics by di company to divert and also to blackmail dia way comot for di grievous criminal charges wey dem dey face for Nigeria.”
Di Nigeria goment add say dem dey investigate Binance sake of say dem dey allow “di platform to be used for money laundering, terrorism financing, and foreign exchange manipulation through illegal trading.”
Wia dis foto come from, X/FMINONigeria
‘Binance Nigeria Limited no dey affiliated wit Binance’
CEO Richard say Nigeria goment don keep im colleague Tigran Gambaryan for more dan 70 days.
According to Binance CEO, im say dat im company bin don reach out to di Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for June 2022 say dem wan collaborate on di licensing requirements but dem no get any response.
“Binance bin actively reach out to di SEC on several occasions to seek practical guidance on di licensing process and offer to engage wit di Nigerian authorities on a consultative basis. Binance neva receive any response from di SEC and no Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) don get license under di new regulations to dis date.”
Dis na afta SEC bin release regulations wey go require crypto exchanges wey dey operate for Nigeria to obtain a permit and comply wit certain requirements.
Di Binance CEO bin allege say di reference for one circular by SEC to ‘Binance Nigeria Limited’ dey incorrect.
“Binance Nigeria Limited no dey affiliated wit Binance and na third parties bin register am in violation of di Binance trademark and for arbitrage but e dey clear say di SEC intention na to to target di Binance exchange,” im write for im blog post.
For March, Nadeem Anjarwalla bin run comot for di kontri.
Nigeria news media bin report for April 2024 say Kenya Police Service don arrest di executive of di Trading Cryptocurrency firm Binance, wey escape from custody for Nigeria.
National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu bin tok for statement say Anjarwalla use im Kenyan passport to escape from Nigeria.
Di Nigeria goment say dem dey work wit security agencies around di continent to make sure say di Binance executve wey run comot go chop arrest again.
“Working wit di security agencies for Nigeria, Interpol dey currently execute an international arrest warrant on di executive wey dey on di run.”
Di goment say di only way wey dem fit resolve di issue na for Binance to submit diasef for investigation.
“We go like to remind Binance say im no go clear dia name for Nigeria sake of dia lie and media campaigns. Di only way to resolve di issues go be to submit diasef to investigation and judicial due process..”
Di goment of Nigeria say dem no gree for any form of blackmail.