Philip Agbese, a Nigerian House of Representatives member, has taken legal action against Tigran Gambaryan, an executive at Binance Holdings Limited, over allegations of bribery and defamation.

Last Friday, February 14, Gambaryan posted on X (formerly Twitter) that three Nigerian lawmakers—including Agbese and Peter Akpanke—demanded a $150 million bribe in cryptocurrency.

Agbese strongly denied the claims, stating that he has never been involved in cryptocurrency trading and does not own a crypto wallet. “I could not have asked for money to be sent to a wallet that does not exist,” he said.

The lawmaker challenged Gambaryan to provide proof, apologize within seven days, or face legal action. However, before the deadline ended, Agbese filed a lawsuit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama.

He is seeking ₦1.5 billion in damages and wants the court to stop Gambaryan from making further defamatory statements. He also demands a retraction of the post.

In a statement on Monday, February 17, Agbese explained why he proceeded with the lawsuit early. He said Gambaryan repeated the false accusations instead of retracting them.

“My reputation as a citizen and lawmaker is at stake. If I do nothing, future generations will not forgive me,” Agbese stated. He also criticized Gambaryan for refusing to comment further, saying, “I have family too, but he must face the court and prove his claims or pay for the damage caused.”

Agbese believes his lawsuit will discourage others from spreading false accusations and harming Nigeria’s reputation.