A member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Tigran Gambaryan, Binance’s Chief Compliance Officer, over allegations of bribery.
Agbese is demanding N1 billion in damages.
The lawsuit, submitted to the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Monday, is based on Gambaryan’s social media posts, where he accused Agbese and two other lawmakers of soliciting a $150 million bribe.
According to Agbese’s legal counsel, Samuel Ihensekhien, the allegations were false, malicious, and intended to tarnish his reputation.
Filed under case number FCT/HC/CV/576/2025, the lawsuit asserts that Agbese has never owned a cryptocurrency account or engaged in digital currency transactions.
The legal action, initiated through a writ of summons, seeks a court ruling declaring Gambaryan’s claims defamatory, an injunction preventing him from making further accusations, and a public retraction of the statements.
Additionally, Agbese is requesting N1 billion in general damages and N5 million in legal costs.
The court has instructed that Gambaryan be served with notice, giving him eight days to respond. Failure to do so may result in a default judgment.
This lawsuit emerges amid Nigeria’s regulatory clampdown on Binance, with authorities accusing the cryptocurrency exchange of operating without a proper license and facilitating transactions that undermine the national economy.
Key Demands in the Lawsuit
Documents obtained reveal that Agbese is seeking the following from the court:
A declaration that Gambaryan’s social media posts, particularly on X (Twitter), accusing Agbese of corruption, are defamatory and harmful to his reputation.
A court order preventing Gambaryan and his associates from making further defamatory statements.
A mandatory injunction compelling Gambaryan to retract the allegations and issue a public apology in at least three national newspapers within seven days of judgment.
A ban on further publication or distribution of defamatory content related to Agbese.
A court ruling that Gambaryan’s disclosure of Agbese’s personal information violated his right to privacy under Section 37 of the Nigerian Constitution.
N1 billion in general damages for the alleged defamation.
N5 million to cover the legal costs of the case.
Any other reliefs the court deems appropriate.
As of now, no hearing date has been scheduled for the case.
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