In a startling development, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has confirmed that Nadeem Anjarwalla, a detained executive of Binance, has escaped from custody. Anjarwalla, a suspect in the ongoing probe into Binance’s activities in Nigeria, reportedly fled on Friday, according to ONSA.
Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communication at ONSA, stated that preliminary investigations revealed Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport. Efforts are underway, in collaboration with security agencies and Interpol, to apprehend the suspect and unravel the circumstances surrounding his escape.
Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities, served as Binance’s Africa regional manager. He was under a 14-day remand order by a Nigerian court and was scheduled to appear before the court again on April 4, 2024.
Mijinyawa urged Nigerians and the international community to provide any information that could aid in Anjarwalla’s arrest. This incident follows the arrest and detention of two Binance executives earlier, following a ban on the platform’s website in Nigeria.
Moreover, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously requested Binance to share data on its top 100 users in Nigeria and transaction history for the past six months. Negotiations between Binance and Nigeria regarding this request are reportedly ongoing.
The escape of Anjarwalla raises concerns about the investigation into Binance’s operations in Nigeria and highlights the challenges in regulating cryptocurrency exchanges. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.