The threat to the lives and families of whistleblowers, whose petition resulted in the executive of Binance Holdings Limited’s summons, arrest, and ongoing trial, has drawn concern.
They demanded state protection from the federal government.
The organisation made the request in a letter to President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, acting on behalf of the Niger Delta Youth Council and the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative.
The group asserted that they are the petitioners and whistleblowers who discovered Binance Holdings Limited’s egregious misuse of the Nigerian financial system.
The National Coordinators of the Niger Delta Youth Council, Engineer Jātor Abido, and the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, Amb. Solomon Adodo, jointly signed the letter dated Wednesday, March 28, 2024.
As petitioners and whistleblowers who exposed Binance Holdings Limited’s blatant misuse of the Nigerian financial system, we write to inform you of the current threat to our lives and to request protection from the State by way of your explicit presidential directive.
We are currently quite shocked and alarmed by the detainee’s seamless escape.
We also know that the Binance Team possesses a substantial financial arsenal that we will never be able to match.
“We exposed the serious operations and terrorism financing using the Binance platform, which adds to our concerns.
As a result, along with our personal families, we are seriously endangered.
“We have no choice but to turn to the Nigerian government, in support of whom we have undertaken this audacious patriotic undertaking.”
“Recall that following years of meticulous inquiry and fact-finding regarding Binance’s activities in Nigeria, we discovered some serious violations committed against the Nigerian government and its citizens,” they continued.
We submitted a petition against Binance to the House (of Representatives) Committee on Financial Crimes following our unquestionable findings.
The Niger Delta Youth Council, the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative, and twenty-one other civil society organisations filed this petition on December 5, 2023, in response to irregularities committed by Binance Holdings Limited.
“Among the inconsistencies committed by Binance, according to the aforementioned petition, are: Violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 Provisions.
“Violation of the terms of the Digital Assets Rules (May 2022) and the Investments and Securities Act, 2007 regarding the issuance, offering platforms, and custody of digital assets.
“Violation of pertinent tax laws in Nigeria, leading to tax evasion within the nation.”
“The House Committee on Financial Crimes invited Binance to attend and provide clarifications on the claims, and the committee took quick action.
The Binance Team honoured the summons and travelled to Nigeria in order to attend the first public hearing, which was scheduled for January 10, 2024.
“Huge financial transactions that were conducted on the Binance platform without proper tax payments or any kind of regulation were discovered as a result of the House Investigative Hearings.
Following that, the Office of the National Security Adviser also started looking into Binance. Two Binance Executives, Nadeem Anjarwalla and Tigran Gambaryan, were subsequently invited and placed under arrest.
On Friday, March 22, 2024, Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the inmates, managed to escape from the NSA’s custody.
We therefore use this platform to urge you to use your state authority to provide our immediate families and ourselves with the security and other types of protection we need (both inside and outside of Nigeria) until the Binance case is resolved, as we are in grave danger and may lose our lives.
“We are certain that, in light of what we have already given up, you will answer our request.
“We assure you of our sincere admiration and strong support for your excellent governance.”