Ben Murray-Bruce, a former senator, has challenged Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited, to undergo lie detector over bribery allegations against Nuhu Ribadu.
In a post published via X on Saturday, Murray-Bruce swore that Ribadu, national security adviser, is “incapable” of the allegations against him.
Gambaryan, who serves as Binance’s head of financial crime compliance, was detained in Nigeria from February to October 2024.
According to the federal government, his arrest was part of a broader investigation into alleged money laundering and economic destabilisation attributed to Binance’s activities in Nigeria.
Recounting his experience in a post on X on Friday, Gambaryan alleged that three Nigerian lawmakers demanded substantial bribes in cryptocurrency.
He accused the lawmakers of soliciting a $150 million bribe.
He also claimed that Ribadu sought significant “payouts from Binance for his political ambition”.
The federal government had dismissed the bribery allegations as false and unsubstantiated.
Supporting Ribadu amid the controversy, Murray-Bruce asked Gambaryan to submit himself to a lie detector test in a neutral country.
The former senator said Gambaryan should have been grateful for the opportunity to leave the country, adding that if Ribadu had his way, the Binance executive would be serving a life sentence in prison.
“I have known Mallam Nuhu Ribadu my entire life, and I can say with absolute certainty that he is incapable of the allegations being levelled against him,” Murray-Bruce said.
“I challenge @TigranGambaryan to undergo a lie detector test if he genuinely believes the claims he has made.
“It is exhausting to witness individuals repeatedly dragging Nigeria’s name through the mud with baseless accusations and fabricated evidence.
“Furthermore, I hope @TigranGambaryan begins drafting the public apology he will inevitably have to issue once he fails that test
