Binance Envoy Nadeem Anjarwalla Escape Detention as ONSA Claims

The Office of the National Security Adviser confirmed today that Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance executive currently in custody, has broken free.

The ONSA stated on Monday that Anjarwalla, a suspect in the ongoing probe into Binance's activities, escaped detention on Friday.

A Binance spokesperson discussed the escape of Anjarwalla, a detained Binance representative who flew to Nigeria during the ongoing negotiation about the platform, encouraging the system to undervalue the naira. 

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He said, "We were informed that Nadeem is no longer in Nigerian custody. Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees, and we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to resolve this issue quickly."

In a statement, the Head of Strategic Communication at ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, confirmed the development. He said a preliminary investigation showed that Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport. He noted that efforts were ongoing to rearrest the suspect.

The statement read, 

"The Office of the National Security Adviser confirms that Nadeem ANJARWALLA, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into Binance's activities in Nigeria, escaped lawful custody on Friday, March 22, 2024.

"Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps to apprehend the suspect in conjunction with relevant security agencies, MDAs, and the international community. Security agencies are working with Interpol to obtain an international arrest warrant for the suspect.

"Preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport."

Mijinyawa noted that those responsible for the custody of Anjarwalla had been arrested. He mentioned that the investigation to determine the circumstances leading up to his escape was still ongoing.

The statement added,

"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 Federal Government of Nigeria, like other governments worldwide, 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 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 Nigerian court. He was scheduled to appear before the court again on April 4, 2024."

He urged Nigerians and the international community to help with information that could lead to the suspect's arrest and stressed the importance of the arrest.

Mijinyawa said, "We urge the Nigerian public and the international community to provide whatever information they have to assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending the suspect."

Recall that on February 28, it was reported that two Binance executives were arrested and detained after they flew into the country because of a ban the government placed on their website and everything related to their operation in the country.

On March 22, 2024, it was reported that the EFCC asked Binance to submit data on its 100 top users in Nigeria and all transaction history for the past six months. The report claims that the request aligns with Binance's negotiations with Nigeria.