U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-AR) said "it’s well past time" that U.S. citizen Tigran Gambaryan is brought back home from Nigeria where he has been detained for the past eight months.
"Fantastic to see the Nigerian government drop the charges against Tigran Gambaryan," said Hill in a post on X. "It’s well past time he return home safely to America and his family and immediately receive any necessary medical treatment that he needs."
On October 23, the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officially dropped all charges against Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance Holdings, marking the end of his eight-month detention.
Gambaryan’s detention, which captured widespread attention from the international community, had been a source of concern due to his deteriorating health. While in custody, he suffered from malaria, pneumonia, tonsillitis, and a herniated disc, which left him wheelchair-bound. These conditions added to the calls for his release, with 18 U.S. attorneys general requesting that President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken intervene.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja approved the dismissal of all charges, confirming that Gambaryan had no involvement in the financial decisions that led to the accusations. Authorities clarified that he was simply an employee of Binance and not responsible for the company's broader financial activities in Nigeria.
With his release now secured, Gambaryan is expected to return to the U.S. shortly, where he will receive necessary medical care and reunite with his family.
A 2024 report by the Foley Foundation revealed that, as of mid-2024, 46 U.S. nationals were wrongfully detained or held hostage in 16 different countries. The report indicates that the number of U.S. nationals in detention has decreased by 42% since its peak in 2022.
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