NADEEM Anjarwalla, a key figure at Binance facing allegations of tax evasion and other offenses in Nigeria, has reportedly fled from lawful custody.
The office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has officially confirmed his escape of the Binance regional manager for Africa in a statement issued by Zakari Mijinyawa, head of strategic communication at ONSA, it was revealed that preliminary investigations suggest Mr. Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.
Anjarwalla, the 38-year-old-British-Kenyan who serves as Binance’s Africa regional manager, managed to escape on March 22 from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleagues were detained.
The escape took place after guards escorted Anjarwalla to a nearby mosque for prayer as part of the ongoing Ramadan fast.
Despite his British passport being retained by Nigerian authorities, Anjarwalla purportedly utilized a Middle Eastern airliner to depart from Abuja. Authorities are currently probing the circumstances surrounding his escape and endeavouring to ascertain his intended destination.
Anjarwalla’s flight comes amidst a legal saga involving him and Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance.
Both executives were apprehended upon their arrival in Nigeria on February 26, with criminal charges subsequently filed against them.
These charges include failure to adhere to tax regulations and accusations of facilitating tax evasion by Binance platform users. Anjarwalla’s departure has further complicated the situation for Binance, raising concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s existing security measures.
The ONSA’s statement further elaborated that the personnel responsible for the custody of the suspect have been detained, and a comprehensive investigation is currently underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding his escape from lawful detention.
In response to this development, ONSA has taken immediate steps, in collaboration with relevant security organs, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as the international community, to locate and apprehend the suspect.
Security agencies are also working in conjunction with Interpol to secure an international arrest warrant for Anjarwalla.
The statement reiterated the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government of Nigeria to investigate money laundering and terrorism financing transactions involving the Binance currency exchange platform, stressing that until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, holding British and Kenyan nationalities, was undergoing trial in Nigerian courts, having absconded while under a 14-day remand order.
Authorities urge both the Nigerian public and the international community to provide any relevant information that could assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending the suspect, underscoring the importance of cooperation in addressing such security challenges.
