The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) yesterday said Tigran Gambaryan, the Binance executive in its custody, is ‘safe and healthy’.
Spokesperson of the NCoS Umar Abubakar, at a news conference organized by the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee (STIPC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Abuja.
Gambaryan’s family recently told the Federal High Court in Abuja that his health was deteriorating in jail. Gambaryan had been detained in Kuje prison, Abuja, for tax evasion and money laundering.
But Abubakar said Gambaryan ‘is not under any serious health condition’ contrary to what was said in court and reported.
He said: “Our responsibility is unique as a security agency because we keep those who are in conflict with the law.
“We don’t just dwell only on their information and rehabilitation, but we have a robust health care system that is evidence to all. If you check the morbidity rates and the mortality rates in our custodial centers, I would say it’s 0.1 per cent.
“Like other open hospitals, where we feel the condition cannot be managed within our facility, they are referred to an appropriate hospital where they will continue their treatment.
“So for Gambaryan, he is not under any serious health condition. He is fine with us, and he will continue to be fine with us.”
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has also said it is engaging its Turkish counterpart to halt the influx of illicit arms and ammunition into Nigeria.
It said it is engaging countries within the World Customs Organisation as part of strategies to cut the influx of illicit trade.
Customs’ spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, had ratified an agreement with Chinese Customs to address the issue.
The NCS, on July 1, intercepted arms and ammunition worth N18.23 billion at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
The items, originating from Turkiye, included 848 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition. They were concealed in other items inside a 1X40 foot container ‘MAEU165396’, while the drugs found in different cartons were in nine containers.
Also intercepted were assorted arms, drones, and military accouterments worth N1.5 billion at the Murtala Muhammad Airport, also exported from Turkiye.
Maiwada said: “Some two or three months back we signed an agreement with the general administration of China Customs. Most of the drugs we intercept come from India.