The Federal Government has officially confirmed the unexpected escape of Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance regional manager for Africa, from lawful custody.
A statement released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) acknowledges the incident, revealing that the individuals responsible for Anjarwalla’s custody have been apprehended.
A thorough investigation is underway to uncover the circumstances surrounding his escape from lawful detention.
Earlier, Tribune Online reported Anjarwalla’s escape from a guest house in Abuja on Friday, March 22, where he and his colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, were being detained.
The escape occurred when guards on duty escorted Anjarwalla to a nearby mosque for prayers, coinciding with the ongoing Ramadan fast.
Anjarwalla, a 38-year-old British citizen with Kenyan citizenship, purportedly fled Nigeria using a Kenyan passport, as per sources.
Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of strategic communication at ONSA, issued a statement on Monday confirming that preliminary investigations indicate Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.
The statement emphasised that the personnel responsible for his custody have been arrested, and a thorough inquiry is in progress to understand the circumstances of his escape.
ALSO READ: Prepaid meter: FG to patronise local manufacturers
It wrote, “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 Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had previously filed four-count criminal tax-related charges against Binance, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan on March 22.