Court Dismisses Former Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan’s Suit Challenging Detention by EFCC, NSA

The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a fundamental-rights enforcement suit filed by former Binance executive Tigran Gambaryan, who alleged that his arrest and detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) were unlawful.

The ruling, delivered on Thursday, held that Gambaryan failed to prove that his detention violated due process.

Gambaryan had approached the court seeking a declaration that his detention from February to April 2024 amounted to a breach of his constitutional rights.

He also argued that the Nigerian government improperly held him during its investigation into alleged financial crimes involving the cryptocurrency exchange platform, Binance.

However, Justice Umar Mohammed ruled that his arrest and remand were tied to an active criminal investigation and subsequent arraignment, making the detention lawful.

The court emphasized that Gambaryan had already been formally charged and denied bail based on concerns that he posed a flight risk — a factor within the court’s discretion during criminal proceedings.

It further noted that fundamental-rights actions cannot be used to halt or undermine ongoing criminal trials or investigative processes initiated by competent authorities.

Justice Mohammed described the suit as an “abuse of court process” and dismissed all claims.

The decision reinforces the judiciary’s position that constitutional-rights applications must not obstruct legally constituted criminal investigations, especially in cases involving complex financial-crime allegations.