Nadeem Anjarwalla, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria, has escaped from lawful custody last Friday.
Head of Strategic Communication in the office of the National Security Adviser, Mr Zakari U. Mijinyawa, explained in a press statement on Monday: “Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, MDAs, as well as the international community, to apprehend the suspect.
“Security agencies are working with Interpol for an international arrest warrant on the suspect.”
Mijinyawa added: “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.”
It will be recalled that the Federal Government has been investigating money laundering and terrorism financing transactions perpetrated on the Binance currency exchange platform.
Until his escape, 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.
The NSA’s office pleaded: “We urge the Nigerian public and the international community to provide whatever information they have that can assist law enforcement agencies to apprehend the suspect.”
