The office of the National Security Adviser has confirmed in a press release signed by Zakari U. Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communication, the reported escape of Binance executive Nadeem Anjarwalla from custody.
According to the statement, Anjarwalla fled the country using a smuggled traveler’s passport. He escaped from security guards during Ramadan prayers when he was escorted to a nearby mosque to pray.
The NSA’s Office however promised immediate action is being taken in collaboration with international partners like INTERPOL to re-arrest him.
“Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serves as Binance’s Africa regional manager, was being tried by Nigerian courts. The suspect escaped while under a 14-day remand order by a court in Nigeria. He was scheduled to appear before the court again on 4 April 2024.
“We urge the Nigerian public and the international community to provide whatever information they have that can assist law enforcement agencies to apprehend the suspect.”
Anjarwalla’s colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, a U.S. citizen and Binance’s Head of Financial Crime Compliance with whom he was arrested is still in government custody.
Binance Confirm Exec Has Fled
Binance Holding Ltd has confirmed it is aware of the development in Nigeria but insisted its primary concern in the situation is the safety of its employee.
“We were made aware that Nadeem is no longer in Nigerian custody. Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees and we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to quickly resolve this issue,” a Binance spokesperson said.
The circumstances of Mr. Anjarwalla’s escape remain a mystery and a sore embarrassment to Nigeria’s sovereignty and her government.
Anjarwalla reportedly then flew out on an international flight via an undisclosed Middle Eastern airliner despite his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, still with the Nigerian authorities.
What Is Binance Crime?
Anjarwalla and Gambaryan both executives of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange platform flew in to Nigeria on February 26 to answer to concerns of the Nigerian government regarding their operations. Dissatisifed with their answers, government arrested and detained them and got a court to order their extended detention for additional 14 days.
The government of President Bola Tinubu accused Binance of using their platform to aid currency speculators and market manipulation that was distorting the Nigerian economy and weakening the Naira against other currencies.
It told Binance that certain Nigerians traded through their platform over $21.6 billion and it wanted the identities of the traders disclosed to government. Binance refused.
It then slammed additional charges against the company including money laundering and terrorism financing charges, and failure of the firm to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, – Nigeria’s tax agency, for tax remittances to government.
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