The Federal Government of Nigeria is aware of attempts by Binance to launder its impaired image as an organization that does not play by the rules and laws guiding business conduct in sovereign nations.

In a blog post that has now been published by many international media organizations, in an apparent well-coordinated public relations effort, Binance Chief Executive Officer Richard Teng made false allegations of bribery against unidentified Nigerian government officials who he claimed demanded $150m in cryptocurrency payments to resolve the ongoing criminal investigation against the company.

Responding on behalf of the federal government in a statement released on Wednesday,
Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim said the claim by Binance CEO lacks any iota of substance describing it as nothing but a diversionary tactic and an attempted act of blackmail by a company desperate to obfuscate the grievous criminal charges it is facing in Nigeria.

Ibrahim said the facts of the matter remain that Binance is being investigated in Nigeria for allowing its platform to be used for money laundering, terrorism financing, and foreign exchange manipulation through illegal trading.

He said while this lawful investigation was going on, an executive of Binance, who was in court-sanctioned protective custody, escaped from Nigeria, and he is now a fugitive from the law as the security agencies in Nigeria and Interpol is currently executing an international arrest warrant on the said fugitive.

According to him the phantom bribe claim is part of an orchestrated international campaign by the company that is facing criminal prosecution in many countries including the United States, to undermine the Nigerian government.

Just a week ago, the founder and former CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, was sentenced to prison in the United States, after pleading guilty to charges very similar to what Binance is being investigated for in Nigeria. Zhao also agreed to pay a fine of $50 million, while Binance is liable for $4.3 billion in fines and forfeitures to the US Government.

He reminded Binance that it will not clear its name in Nigeria by resorting to fictional claims and mudslinging media campaigns saying the only way to resolve its issues will be by submitting itself to unobstructed investigation and judicial due process as the government of Nigeria will continue to act within its laws and international norms and will not succumb to any form of blackmail from any entity, local or foreign