By Kamsi Anayo
Nadeem Anjarwalla, 38, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria has escaped from lawful custody.
The Head -Strategic Communication Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa in a statement on Monday confirmed that the suspect escaped on March 22.
He said: “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 that preliminary investigation showed that Anjarwalla has 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,” he added.
Recall that the Federal Government, like other governments around the world, has been investigating money laundering and terrorism financing transactions perpetrated on the Binance currency exchange platform.
He said until his escape, Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serving as Binance’s Africa regional manager, was being tried by Nigerian courts.
Mijinyawa said that the suspect escaped while under a 14-day remand order by a court in Nigeria, adding that 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 to apprehend the suspect,” Mijinyawa said.
