The CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Richard Teng has made a public appeal to the Nigerian government for the release of Tigran, a Binance employee who has been in detention for six months.
Teng expressed grave concerns over Tigran’s deteriorating health and called for his immediate release on humanitarian grounds.
Tigran, who suffers from a herniated disc, is reportedly in severe pain and unable to walk. The CEO criticized the Nigerian authorities for denying Tigran access to adequate medical care, including necessities such as a wheelchair.
He alleged that Tigran has been denied access to his legal counsel, despite an upcoming trial scheduled for September 2nd, which he claims is unconstitutional under Nigerian law. A court order demanding the release of Tigran’s medical records has also been ignored for several months.
ALSO READ Court orders release of detained Binance executive’s medical report
In addition to the health concerns, the Binance CEO refuted the Nigerian government’s rationale for detaining Tigran. He argued that the claim of holding Tigran, because Binance operates virtually, is baseless, stating that the company has resolved issues in other countries without harming employees.
He also dismissed accusations that Binance was responsible for Nigeria’s currency decline, pointing out that the Naira’s depreciation was due to broader macroeconomic factors and the government’s decision to end the currency peg.
The CEO emphasized that Nigeria is not a significant market for Binance, clarifying that the reported $21.6 billion figure represents total transaction volume, not revenue.
He urged the U.S. government to take action to secure Tigran’s release, designating him as “unlawfully detained” and leveraging political influence to bring him home.
The statement concluded with a call to the global community to pressure the Nigerian government to release Tigran. The Binance CEO expressed hope that once these issues are resolved, the company can work with Nigeria to develop the Web3 industry and attract foreign investment.
