Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance executive detained in Nigeria, has reportedly escaped from custody.
Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the two Binance executives detained in Nigeria on allegations of tax evasion and other infractions, escaped from lawful custody, according to sources familiar with the situation as reported by PREMIUM TIMES.
The 38-year-old Anjarwalla purportedly made his getaway on Friday, 22nd March, from the Abuja guest house where he and his associate were being held.
It was gathered that guards on duty facilitated his departure by escorting him to a nearby mosque for prayers during the ongoing Ramadan fast, after which he managed to abscond.
Anjarwalla, a British national who also holds Kenyan citizenship, is believed to have departed Abuja via a Middle Eastern airline.
Despite Nigerian authorities holding his British passport upon entry into the country, it remains unclear how he managed to board an international flight.
Authorities are currently making efforts to ascertain his intended destination and facilitate his return to custody.
An Immigration official disclosed that Anjarwalla departed Nigeria using a Kenyan passport, raising questions about the acquisition of this travel document given that he possessed no other form of identification besides his British passport at the time of arrest.
Speculations suggest that Anjarwalla and his colleague enjoyed certain privileges during their detention, including access to telephones, which may have been exploited to orchestrate the escape.
Upon inquiry, Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communication at the Office of the National Security Adviser, stated that investigations would be conducted and feedback provided.
However, as of the filing of this report, no further communication has been received.
Anjarwalla, Binance’s Africa regional manager, and his associate, Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen overseeing financial crime compliance, were apprehended upon their arrival in Nigeria on 26th February 2024.
Subsequently, criminal charges were filed against them before a Magistrate Court in Abuja.
The court granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) an order to remand them for 14 days.
Following Binance’s refusal to comply with the court’s order to provide Nigerian government data of its platform users, the court extended their remand for an additional 14 days.
On 22nd March, the Nigerian government filed a four-count charge against Binance Holdings Limited, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan, accusing them of tax evasion and other offenses related to their platform’s operations.
These events unfold against the backdrop of the Nigerian government’s crackdown on suspected money launderers and terrorism financiers allegedly using the Binance platform for illicit activities, citing concerns of economic distortion and currency devaluation.