By Henry Nwaneri
Binance executive detained in Nigeria identified as Nadeem Anjarwalla, has escaped from lawful custody.
He was detained for alleged tax evasion and other offences, according to a report by Premium Times.
Sources said on Friday, March 22 that Anjarwalla, 38, escaped from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty escorted him to a nearby mosque to observe prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.
Sources also said Anjarwalla who is a British citizen, also posses Kenyan citizenship, and is believed to have flown out of Abuja with the aid of a Middle East airliner.
The escape of Anjarwalla’s through an international flight despite the Nigerian authorities ceasing his British passport with which he came into Nigeria, remains a mystery.
Premium Times had reported that an Immigration official said the Binance executive fled Nigeria on a Kenyan passport. He also said authorities were trying to investigate how he obtained the passport, given that he had no other travel document (apart from the British passport) on him when he was taken into custody.
Another source said the two officials were held at a “comfortable guest house” and allowed many rights, including the use of telephones, a privilege Anjarwalla is believed to have exploited to plot an escape.
Anjarwalla, a British citizen who is also Binance’s Africa regional manager, and Tigran Gambaryan, a US citizen overseeing financial crime compliance at the crypto exchange platform, were detained upon their arrival in Nigeria on February 26.
READ ALSO: Nigeria: CBN Raises Interest Rate To 24.75%
The Nigerian government approached the Federal High Court in Abuja and layed charges against Binance Holdings Limited, Mr. Anjarwalla and Mr Gambaryan, which include accusations of failing to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service and failing to pay relevant taxes, particularly value-added taxes, as required by law.
The Nigerian Government said Binance offered taxable services to subscribers on their trading platform while failing to issue invoices to those subscribers to determine and pay their value-added taxes, therefore committing an offence contrary to and punishable under S.29 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as amended).
Office of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Confirms Escape
Meanwhile, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has confirmed the escaped of the detained Binance executive.
A statement by head of strategic communication at ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa said “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,” the statement issued on Monday reads.
He is believed to have flown out of Abuja via a Middle Eastern airliner, but how he got on an international flight despite his British passport been ceased, remains a mystery.
ONSA 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.
“Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria, like other governments around the world, has been investigating money laundering and terrorism financing transactions perpetrated on the Binance currency exchange platform.
“Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serving 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 4 April 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.”
