The Office of the National Security Adviser has confirmed that Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the two Binance executives arrested by the Federal Government, has escaped from detention.
Chronicle NG reports that Anjarwalla, 38, escaped from the Abuja guest home where he and his colleague were being held on Friday, March 22, when guards brought him to a local mosque for prayers in honor of the ongoing Ramadan fast.
The Briton, who also has Kenyan citizenship, is reported to have flown out of Abuja on a Middle Eastern airliner.
Confirming his escape, the office of the National Security Adviser, in a statement signed by its Head of Strategic Communication, Zakari U. Mijinyawa, stated that “security agencies are working with Interpol for an international arrest warrant on the suspect.”
The statement reveals that the personnel responsible for the custody of the escapee have been arrested, and an investigation into the escape is 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, March 22, 2024.
“Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, MDAs, and 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 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 April 4, 2024.
“We urge the Nigerian public and the international community to provide whatever information they have that can assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending the suspect.”
