The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has confirmed the escape of detained Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, from custody.
Anjarwalla, a suspect in the probe into Binance’s activities, reportedly fled on Friday, according to statements from PUNCH Online, quoting Premium Times.
Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communication at ONSA, issued a statement confirming the incident, stating that preliminary investigations revealed Anjarwalla escaped using a smuggled passport. Efforts are underway, in collaboration with relevant security agencies and Interpol, to apprehend him.
Mijinyawa also disclosed that personnel responsible for Anjarwalla’s custody have been arrested, and investigations are ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding his escape.
Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serves as Binance’s Africa regional manager, was under a 14-day remand order by a Nigerian court at the time of his escape. He was scheduled to appear before the court on April 4, 2024.
The statement further urged Nigerians and the international community to provide any information that could aid law enforcement agencies in apprehending the suspect. This incident comes amidst ongoing investigations into money laundering and terrorism financing transactions on the Binance platform.
Financial Times previously reported the arrest and detention of two Binance executives after their arrival in Nigeria, following a ban on the company’s website. Additionally, the EFCC requested Binance to share data on its top 100 users in Nigeria and transaction history for the past six months, a request central to negotiations between Binance and Nigeria.
