The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has confirmed the escape of a top executive of the cryptocurrency trading platform, Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, from lawful custody.
This follows earlier reports that one of the two Binance executive has escaped from the Abuja guest house where they were being held.
The confirmation is contained in a statement by the Head of Strategic Communications at the ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, where he stated that preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.
Mijinyawa stated that the personnel in charge of Anjarwalla’s custody have been arrested pending investigation, adding that the security agencies were working with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to watch-list the suspect and re-arrest him.
Recommended reading: FIRS files tax evasion charges against Binance, as Executives escape Nigeria
Thorough investigation ongoing
The statement reads,
- “The Office of the National Security Adviser confirms that Nadeem Anjarwalla, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria has escaped from lawful custody on Friday, 22 March 2024.
- “Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies , MDAs, as well as the international community, to apprehend the suspect. Security agencies are working with Interpol for an international arrest warrant on the suspect
- “Preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.
- “The personnel responsible for the custody of the suspect have been arrested, and a thorough investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances that led to his escape from lawful detention.
- “Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria, like other governments around the world, has been investigating money laundering and terrorism financing transactions perpetrated on the Binance currency exchange platform.
- “Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serving 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. “
The statement asked Nigerians to provide useful information on the fleeing suspect.
It added,
- “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,”