Detained Binance executive escapes custody, flees Nigeria, NSA confirms

The office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has confirmed that Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive of cryptocurrency platform, Binance, escaped from custody.

Anjarwalla is a suspect in the Federal Government’s ongoing probe into the activities of the cryptocurrency trading platform in Nigeria. 

The NSA office, in a statement through its spokesman Zakari Mijinyawa, on Monday, said the suspect escaped lawful custody on Friday, 22nd March,2024.

“The Office of the National Security Adviser confirms that Nadeem Anjarwalla, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria has escaped from lawful custody on Friday, 22 March 2024,” the NSA Office said.

Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan citizenship and serves as Binance’s Africa Regional Manager, was facing trial in Nigerian courts over the activities of Binance in the country. He escaped while under a 14-day remand order by a court and scheduled to appear before it again on April 4, 2024.

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Continuing, the statement added that upon receiving the report, the Office of the NSA took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, MDAs, as well as the international community, to apprehend the suspect.

“Preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport,” it said.

“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.”