The U.S. on Thursday sent a plane loaded with medical supplies to pick up Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, from Nigeria.
As per The New York Times, Gambaryan departed the nation following the dismissal of money laundering charges against him by the Federal Government.
The Nation reported that the Federal Government discontinued the prosecution of official of Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan on money laundering related offences on Wednesday Oct 23.
Gambaryan was being tried with his employer, Binance before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a money laundering charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
On Wednesday, prosecuting lawyer, R. U. Adagba, told the court that the prosecution has decided to withdraw against the second defendant, Gambaryan.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Gambaryan’s release reflects the commitment of both countries to collaborate effectively.
The statement reads: “The United States thanks the Government of Nigeria for releasing U.S. citizen Tigran Gambaryan on medical grounds, allowing him to return to the United States to receive the specialized medical care he requires.
“This positive outcome demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and highlights our shared commitment to working together to advance our common interests. Our close law enforcement cooperation remains a cornerstone of our bilateral relationship, and the United States is committed to working closely with the Government of Nigeria to address mutual concerns and prioritize the safety and well-being of our citizens.”
Similarly, Jake Sullivan, the national security advisor at The White House, expressed that they were “pleased” to have facilitated Gambaryan’s release.
“I am pleased that American citizen and former U.S. law enforcement official Tigran Gambaryan has been released on humanitarian grounds by the Nigerian Government and is on his way back to the United States so that he can receive needed medical attention,” the statement reads.
“As soon as we secured Mr. Gambaryan’s release, I called his wife Yuki to share this good news. I am grateful to my Nigerian colleagues and partners for the productive discussions that have resulted in this step and look forward to working closely with them on the many areas of cooperation and collaboration critical to the bilateral partnership between our two countries.”
[TheNation]