The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) yesterday confirmed that Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the executives of Binance crypto currency, has escaped from lawful custody.
A statement by the head of Strategic Communication, ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, said Anjarwalla escaped from lawful custody on Friday, 22 March, 2024.
He however said the security agencies were working with Interpol for an international arrest warrant on the suspect.
The suspect had been in custody following the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria in an attempt to save the free fall of the Naira.
Mijinyawa said security agencies are working with Interpol to ensure his arrest.
He added that 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.
“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.
The statement said preliminary investigation revealed that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.
He restated that the Federal Government, like other governments around the world, had been investigating money laundering and terrorism financing transactions perpetrated on the Binance currency exchange platform.
Mijinyawa explained that Nadeem Anjarwalla, who was being tried by Nigerian courts until his escape, holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serves as Binance’s Africa regional manager.
“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 4 April 2024,” he added.
The statement urged members of the Nigerian public and the international community to provide whatever information they have that can assist law enforcement agencies to apprehend the suspect.
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