The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has verified the escape of Nadeem Anjarwalla, a detained executive of Binance, a cryptocurrency platform, from custody.
According to ONSA’s statement on Monday, Anjarwalla, who was under investigation for Binance’s activities, fled on Friday.
Zakari Mijinyawa, the Head of Strategic Communication at ONSA, confirmed the escape, revealing that initial findings suggested Anjarwalla used a smuggled passport to leave Nigeria.
Efforts are underway to apprehend him, with security agencies collaborating with Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant.
Mijinyawa stated, “Those responsible for Anjarwalla’s custody have been detained, and investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of his escape.”
Anjarwalla, holding British and Kenyan citizenship and serving as Binance’s Africa regional manager, was facing trial in Nigerian courts. His escape occurred while under a 14-day remand order, with a scheduled court appearance on April 4, 2024.
The statement urged Nigerians and the international community to provide any information to aid in Anjarwalla’s arrest.
The arrest of Binance executives follows the company’s ban in Nigeria, with the EFCC requesting data on its top 100 Nigerian users and six months of transaction history.
The Financial Times reported on February 28 that the executives were detained upon entering the country, and negotiations between Binance and Nigeria revolved around the EFCC’s data request.
