United States lawmaker, Representative French Hill, has voiced concerns about the ongoing detention of Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria, stating that it could jeopardise the strong bilateral ties between both nations. In a recent video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Hill called on President Joe Biden to intervene, expressing his disappointment over the six-month incarceration of Gambaryan, who remains held in the infamous Kuje prison.
Gambaryan, who has been detained since February, is facing charges related to tax evasion and financial crimes. His health has reportedly declined during his detention, with concerns rising over the prison conditions. His legal team has applied for bail on medical grounds, and Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja High Court is set to rule on the matter by October 9.
French Hill’s Call for Action
Hill, who represents Arkansas and serves as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, as well as the Chairman of the subcommittee on digital assets and financial technology, underscored the potential impact of Gambaryan’s detention on US-Nigeria relations. Speaking in a video shared on X, he pressed US Under Secretary for Management, John Bass, to clarify the administration’s stance on the matter.
Hill questioned the administration’s seeming inaction, pointing out that the US has previously taken strong measures to address the wrongful detention of its citizens abroad. He highlighted that Nigeria, as a US ally, should not be handling the situation in this manner.
“In this administration, we have seen a lot of action on Americans wrongfully detained abroad. But here, we have Nigeria—a country we recently signed commercial agreements with—detaining an American citizen indefinitely,” Hill said. “This is wrong. This is a dispute that has nothing to do with Tigran Gambaryan, and yet, we are watching him suffer.”
How much attention has this case caused?
Gambaryan’s detention has attracted widespread attention, with international calls for his release continuing to grow. Hill described the Nigerian government’s response as “embarrassing,” adding that the prolonged detention is putting Nigeria’s diplomatic relationship with the US at risk.
He stressed, “We are not talking about a hostile nation like Iran or Russia; this is Nigeria, a friend and ally of the United States. Yet, this leadership doesn’t seem to grasp that their actions are damaging our relationship.”
Hill has urged his fellow lawmakers to push harder for Gambaryan’s release, calling for more engagement from President Biden’s administration to resolve the situation.
US Efforts to Secure Gambaryan’s Release
John Bass, responding to Hill’s concerns, acknowledged that the US government is working through “complicated tangles within the Nigerian system” but remained hopeful that a resolution could be reached soon. Bass reassured Hill that the US State Department is fully engaged in efforts to secure Gambaryan’s release, citing ongoing diplomatic discussions.
“I can assure you that the secretary and deputy secretary, along with myself, are doing everything possible to get him out soon,” Bass said, adding that the US embassy in Nigeria has been advocating for Gambaryan’s humanitarian release due to his deteriorating health and poor prison conditions.
This isn’t the first time Hill has called for decisive action on Gambaryan’s behalf. In June, Hill and fellow lawmaker Chrissy Houlahan, a Democrat representing Pennsylvania, also appealed to the Biden administration to push for the Binance executive’s release.
As Gambaryan’s case continues to unfold, all eyes remain on the October 9 court ruling. The outcome could either defuse or further escalate tensions between the US and Nigeria, with global observers closely monitoring the situation.
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