By Abiola Olawale
In a swift move, the Federal Government, on Monday, has confirmed that it has contacted the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) over one of the executives of a global crypto-currency firm, Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from lawful custody.
The government also confirmed that the modalities of an international arrest warrant for the apprehension of Anjarwalla, is already being worked on.
The New Diplomat reports that Anjarwalla escaped from custody where he was kept on Friday, March 22, 2024.
Reports indicate that Anjarwalla, 38, reportedly ran away from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.
Giving more details, the Office of the National Security Adviser confirmed the escape of Anjarwalla in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Head of its Strategic Communication, Zakari Mijinyawa, who stated that preliminary investigation showed that the escapee fled Nigeria using a smuggled international passport.
The escapee Binance official, who has British and Kenyan nationalities, escaped from Abuja through a Middle East airline.
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, March 22, 2024.
“Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, 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.”
Mijinyawa noted that the personnel responsible for the custody of Anjarwalla had been arrested, adding that investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding his escape.
“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 served 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 April 4, 2024,” the statement added.
The New Diplomat reports that two executives of Binance were arrested and detained on February 28, 2024, after they flew into the country as a result of a ban on their website.
The Nigerian government had alleged Binance of manipulating foreign exchange trading, and tax evasion, among others
