By Milcah Tanimu
Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive of the global cryptocurrency firm Binance, has evaded custody, prompting the Nigerian government to enlist INTERPOL’s assistance and issue an arrest warrant for his capture. Anjarwalla, a suspect in the investigation into Binance’s operations in Nigeria, managed to escape on Friday, employing a Kenyan passport, while his colleague remained detained.
Authorities disclosed that Anjarwalla, holding British and Kenyan citizenships, departed from Abuja through a Middle Eastern airline. Binance, acknowledging his absence from the country, pledged cooperation with security agencies in resolving the matter.
The revelation of Anjarwalla’s escape has stunned security agencies, who disclosed that he was held in a guarded “safe house” supervised by soldiers, leading to the detention of the security personnel on duty.
The Office of the National Security Adviser confirmed the escape and initiated collaborative efforts with relevant agencies and the international community, including INTERPOL, to locate and apprehend Anjarwalla. Investigations have unveiled that he utilized a smuggled international passport to flee Nigeria.
In a statement, the Office of the National Security Adviser emphasized ongoing efforts to arrest the suspect and stressed the government’s commitment to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, particularly within the realm of cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance.
The escape comes amidst a broader crackdown on Binance by the Nigerian government, which recently filed charges against the company, accusing it of tax evasion and facilitating illicit financial activities. Binance has been embroiled in a dispute with Nigerian authorities, leading to the cessation of its naira-to-dollar exchange services in the country.
As authorities intensify efforts to locate Anjarwalla and unravel the circumstances surrounding his escape, the situation underscores the complexities surrounding regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency sector, amid concerns over potential criminal exploitation of digital assets.