Amid the Nigerian government’s attempts to attribute economic issues to crypto investors, an elaborate hoax has emerged involving a fake promise from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to block the bank accounts of users of four major crypto exchanges. The message, which circulated globally on April 24, claimed that Bybit, KuCoin, OKX, and Binance were not licensed to operate in Nigeria and that individuals and organizations with accounts on these platforms would have their bank accounts frozen. However, the CBN swiftly denied the authenticity of the message and urged people to refer to its official website for accurate updates.
Some prominent media outlets, including Cointelegraph, initially fell for the ruse. This incident follows recent events such as the accusation against Binance for intentionally devaluing Nigeria’s national currency and the subsequent demand for a $10 billion compensation. Additionally, two high-ranking employees from the largest crypto trading platform were arrested, further fueling concerns about regulatory crackdown.
Moreover, it was recently reported that Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance in Africa, who had escaped custody in Nigeria, has been apprehended in Kenya. The Kenyan government intends to extradite him back to Nigeria.