Nigeria’s House of Representatives member Philip Agbese has filed a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit against Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance, over allegations that he and two other lawmakers sought a $150 million bribe.
The lawsuit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja, claims that Gambaryan’s social media statements falsely linked Agbese to corruption, severely damaging his reputation.
He also demands ₦1 billion in general damages and an additional ₦5 million to cover legal expenses. The controversy stems from social media posts in which Gambaryan accused Agbese and two other legislators of attempting to secure a $150 million bribe through cryptocurrency transactions.
According to a local news outlet, Agbese is seeking a declaration that Gambaryan’s statements were defamatory, an order preventing him from making further claims, and a public retraction of the allegations.
The lawsuit asserts that Agbese has never owned a cryptocurrency account or engaged in digital currency transactions.
Agbese’s legal team, led by Barrister S. Ihensekhien, argues that the allegations are false, malicious, and damaging to the lawmaker’s reputation.
The claims quickly gained traction online and were widely reported by Nigerian media outlets, including Channels Television and Blueprint.