A fresh controversy has erupted following Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, criticizing the Canadian embassy for denying visas to Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa and other top military officials. The issue took an unexpected turn when Tigran Gambaryan, a senior Binance executive detained in Nigeria, called out what he described as "hypocrisy" in Ribadu’s complaints.
Ribadu, speaking at the National Association of the Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) annual lecture, expressed frustration over the visa denials, stating that Canada "can go to hell." However, Gambaryan, who has been vocal about his own ordeal in Nigeria, pointed out the irony of Ribadu protesting mistreatment abroad while allegedly overseeing similar treatment of foreign nationals in Nigeria.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Gambaryan accused Nigerian authorities of unlawfully detaining him and his colleague in connection to an ongoing investigation into Binance's operations in the country. He claimed that Nigerian officials fabricated evidence, staged meetings, and demanded a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency.
“Ribadu complaining about the mistreatment of those invited to Canada? That’s rich. How about the way you treated those you invited to Nigeria? The hypocrisy is real.” – Gambaryan wrote.
He further alleged that his detention was politically motivated, exposing deep-rooted corruption within Nigeria’s security and financial agencies. According to Gambaryan, Nigerian authorities falsely linked Binance to the naira’s devaluation, using it as a scapegoat instead of acknowledging the country’s failing monetary policies.
The escalating exchange has ignited global scrutiny, with international observers questioning Nigeria’s diplomatic credibility. As Gambaryan continues to release more details, the controversy could have wider implications for Nigeria’s reputation on the world stage.
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