US lawmakers French Hill and Chrissy Houlahan have called for the urgent release of Tigran Gambaryan, a Binance executive currently detained in Nigeria. Gambaryan faces charges of tax evasion and other financial crimes, but recent visits from the lawmakers have raised concerns about his health and detention conditions.
The legislators’ appeal follows their visit to Gambaryan at Kuje Prison, where they were alarmed by his deteriorating health. Gambaryan, who is suffering from malaria and double pneumonia, has reportedly lost significant weight and is being denied adequate medical care.
Describing the prison conditions as “horrible,” the lawmakers emphasized the urgency of their request. Their plea aligns with calls from Gambaryan’s wife, Yuki Gambaryan, who has been advocating for his release and urging the U.S. government to intensify efforts to secure his freedom, noting that American tax dollars support Nigeria annually.
Hill detailed the visit on his X page on Thursday, highlighting the dire situation. “Yesterday, @RepHoulahan and I visited with US citizen Tigran Gambaryan in Kuje Prison in Nigeria. We found him suffering from malaria and double pneumonia, and he reports that he has lost significant weight. Even worse, he’s being denied access to adequate medical attention,” Hill stated.
Hill also noted that while Nigeria dropped tax evasion charges against Gambaryan on June 14, he believes Gambaryan is being wrongfully detained on charges related to money laundering. “Tigran must be immediately granted a humanitarian release, the remaining charges dropped, and he must return home to America where he belongs,” Hill asserted.
Representative Houlahan, in a video message, confirmed their request to the U.S. embassy to push for Gambaryan’s humanitarian release due to his poor health and the severe conditions in the prison. “We did find pretty difficult conditions. He was clearly under a lot of stress and his health is not very good,” Houlahan said, expressing hope that the U.S. will mobilize to ensure Gambaryan’s safe return.
Previously, a group of U.S. congressmen, including Hill, wrote to President Joe Biden on June 4, urging him to pressure Nigeria for Gambaryan’s release. Despite these efforts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues its prosecution of Gambaryan, resisting the mounting pressure from U.S. lawmakers and advocates.
As the situation develops, the focus remains on securing Gambaryan’s release and ensuring he receives the medical attention he urgently needs.
