Binance executive detained in Nigeria escapes

One of the two Binance executives detained in Nigeria for alleged tax evasion and other offences, has escaped, according to PREMIUM TIMES.

In a report on Monday, the online platform said the suspect identified as Nadeem Anjarwalla, escaped from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained.

Anjarwalla was said to have escaped after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of Ramadan.

A Briton, who also has Kenyan citizenship, Anjarwalla is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle East airliner.

The platform said authorities are working to unravel his intended destination in a bid to get him back into custody.

An Immigration official was quoted to have said the Binance executive fled Nigeria on a Kenyan passport.

He, however, said authorities were trying to determine 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 Mr Anjarwalla is believed to have exploited to plot an escape.”

“When contacted Sunday night on the escape of the Binance executive from detention, the Head of Strategic Communication at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, said he would enquire and revert. He has yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

“Mr Anjarwalla, 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 26 February 2024,”the report read.

The Federal Government has initiated criminal proceedings against Binance.

The charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, were announced on Monday by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The lawsuit, designated as suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, implicates Binance with a four-count tax evasion accusation, a statement by Dare Adekambi, Special Adviser, Media to the Executive Chairman, FIRS had said

Joined with the crypto company as second and third defendants in the suit are Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, both senior executives of Binance currently under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).