Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by FreeStuffsNG: 12:03pm On Mar 26 |
The Federal Government, on Monday, contacted the International Criminal Police Organisation and issued an arrest warrant for the apprehension of one of the detained executives of a global crypto-currency firm, Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from lawful custody on Friday.
It was also gathered from the Office of the National Security Adviser that Anjarwalla, a suspect in the probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria, used a Kenyan passport to escape, while his colleague was still in custody.
The escapee Binance official, who has British and Kenyan nationalities, escaped from Abuja through a Middle East airliner, as his firm in Nigeria confirmed that Anjarwalla was no longer in the country, adding that the company would cooperate with security agencies.
The escape shocked security agencies, as they revealed that the fleeing executive was kept in a ‘safe house’ guarded by soldiers, adding that the security guards on duty had been detained.
The Office of the National Security Adviser confirmed the escape of Anjarwalla in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Head of its Strategic Communication, Zakari Mijinyawa, who stated that preliminary investigation showed that the escapee fled Nigeria using a smuggled international passport.
He noted that efforts were ongoing to arrest the suspect.
The statement read, “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, March 22, 2024.
“Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as the international community, to apprehend the suspect.
“Security agencies are working with Interpol for an international arrest warrant on the suspect. Preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.”
Mijinyawa noted that the personnel responsible for the custody of Anjarwalla had been arrested, adding that investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding his escape.
Personnel arrested
“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.
“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 served 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 April 4, 2024,” the statement added.
The ONSA spokesperson urged Nigerians and the international community to help with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect.
Mijinyawa said, “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.”
Financial Times had on February 28, 2024, reported that two executives of the company were arrested and detained after they flew into the country as a result of a ban on their website.
On March 12, 2024, the FT reported that the EFCC asked Binance to share data on its 100 top users in Nigeria as well as all transaction history for the past six months.
According to the report, the request is at the centre of negotiations between Binance and Nigeria.
Kenyan passport
The PUNCH learnt that the escaped Binance executive fled Nigeria on his smuggled Kenyan passport.
Anjarwalla’s escape from custody last Friday steered controversy across the country since the news broke Monday morning.
The embattled Binance executive who is both a citizen of the United Kingdom and Kenya, had had his British passport seized by the Nigerian authorities.
However, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Monday night, the spokesperson for the Office of the NSA, Mijinyawa, revealed that Anjarwalla fled the country using his Kenyan passport.
Responding to an enquiry on the particular country’s passport used by Anjarwalla to escape from Nigeria, Mijinwaya said, “Kenyan. His other passport remains with the Nigerian authorities.”
Meanwhile, impeccable sources told one of our correspondents that Anjarwalla and his colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, were detained in a “safe house” guarded by heavily armed soldiers.
It was further revealed that the embattled crypto-currency gurus were detained on the order of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The high-placed security sources who confided in The PUNCH, also noted that some of the military personnel guarding the safe house had been detained.
“The escape of Mr Anjarwalla from custody came as a surprise to many of us in the security community. He wasn’t detained by the EFCC or the DSS, he and his colleague were detained in a ‘safe house’ guarded by heavily armed soldiers of the Nigerian Army, on the order of the NSA, Nuhu Ribadu,” one of the sources revealed.
Another source who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The soldiers who were on duty on the day he escaped have been detained and are being interrogated over the matter.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser is the one coordinating the poet, while other relevant security agencies, the EFCC, DSS, police, FIRS, are carrying out their own independent investigations and have been questioning the Binance executives at the ‘safe house’ which is being guarded by the military.”
However, the Nigerian Immigrations Service and the Nigeria Police Force, were silent on the development.
NIS keeps mum
FG contacts INTERPOL, begins manhunt for fleeing Binance executive The spokesperson for the NIS, Dr Forum Aridegbe, and the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, did not respond to inquiries concerning how Anjarwalla got a smuggled passport, and also on plans to inform the Kenyan and British police concerning his whereabouts.
When contacted to tell what would be done to military officials who guarded the house from where the Binance boss escaped, the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, replied “I currently do not have information about soldiers reportedly guarding the said escapees. Will revert if I do.”
Anjarwalla, 38, escaped on Friday, March 22, 2024 from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were detained after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.
Authorities are also said to be working to unravel his intended destination in a bid to get him back into custody.
An Immigration official 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 Anjarwalla is believed to have exploited to plot an escape.
Anjarwalla 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, 2024.
A criminal charge was filed against the two executives before a Magistrate Court in Abuja. On February 28, 2024, the court granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission an order to remand the duo for 14 days.
The court also ordered Binance to provide the Nigerian government with the data/information of Nigerians trading on its platform.
Following Binance’s refusal to comply with the order, the court extended the remand of the officials for an additional 14 days to prevent them from tampering with evidence. The court then adjourned the case till April 4, 2024.
Also on March 22, the Nigerian government approached the Federal High Court in Abuja and slammed another four-count charge on Binance Holdings Limited, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan, accusing them of offering services to subscribers on their platform while failing to register with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to pay all relevant taxes administered by the service.
And in so doing, they committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as Amended).
The defendants were also accused of offering taxable services to subscribers on their trading platform while failing to issue invoices to those subscribers to determine and pay their value-added taxes and, in so doing, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under S.29 of the Value Added Tax Act of 1993 (as amended).
Count three of the charges accused the three defendants of offering services to subscribers on their Binance trading platform for the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies and the remittance and transfer of those assets while failing to deduct the necessary Value Added Taxes arising from their operations and thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).
The last count of the charges wants the defendants punished for allegedly aiding and abetting subscribers on their Binance trading platform to unlawfully refuse to pay taxes or neglect to pay those taxes and, in so doing, committing an offence contrary to and punishable under the provisions of S.94 of the Companies Income Tax Act (as amended).
The Nigerian government had, in the past three months, been cracking down on suspected money launderers and terrorism financiers, some of whom it alleged were using the Binance platform for criminal activities
The Nigerian government said over $21.6bn was traded by Nigerians whose identities were concealed by Binance.
The government also claimed its investigations revealed that unscrupulous elements were using Binance for money laundering, terrorist financing, currency speculation, and market manipulation, distorting the Nigerian economy and weakening the naira against other currencies
The detention of Binance officials in Nigeria began months after the crypto exchange platform pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $4.3bn to settle criminal money laundering charges levied by the US Department of Justice.
Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, pleaded guilty and agreed to resign. His criminal trial has been postponed to April 30, 2024, by a US court.
Binance reacts
Binance, the global cryptocurrency exchange, confirmed on Monday that its executive, Anjarwalla, was no longer in Nigerian custody.
Binance disclosed this to The PUNCH via email on Monday.
The crypto exchange said its concern continues to be the safety and well-being of its employees, and it is actively collaborating with Nigerian authorities to swiftly resolve the matter.
“We were made aware 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 quickly resolve this issue,” It said in the emailed response.
However, it did not provide details on how the executive left Nigerian custody.
Earlier, The PUNCH reached out to JNPR, the public relations agency for Binance, for confirmation on the matter.
“I am currently seeking feedback from my clients. Unfortunately, I can’t share any information at the moment. As soon as I receive any updates, I will let you know,” the agency’s official stated.
Authorities are now scrambling to ascertain Anjarwalla’s whereabouts and the specifics of his escape, with investigations underway to determine his intended destination.
Last week, the families of the executives said they would remain in detention for at least two more weeks in Nigeria.
The duo appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday, even though they were not charged with a crime.
This detention follows Nigeria’s recent crackdown on various cryptocurrency trading platforms.
On March 8, the exchange announced its decision to cease its naira-to-dollar exchange services in Nigeria due to a dispute with Nigerian authorities, who accused the platform of manipulating the country’s foreign exchange rate.
The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Yemi Cardoso, said that over $26bn in illicit funds had transited through the platform in the previous year. https://punchng.com/binance-chief-fg-contacts-interpol-soldiers-held-over-detainees-escape/ 24 Likes 3 Shares
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Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by FreeStuffsNG: 12:03pm On Mar 26 |
“Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and served 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
Where are those naysayers and unpatriotic elements saying he will not get a red notice? He is done for! Fugitive on the run. He was first unfortunate to work for a criminal organisation involved in money laundering and financing terrorism now unfortunate to become a fugitive on the run and on interpol list.
Mallam Ribadu will smoke him out and squeeze those involved until they sing like canary. May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs! 50 Likes 5 Shares |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Putindbutt: 12:12pm On Mar 26 |
Those powerful cabal that used binance to launder money and compromised our security system to get him out so that they won't be exposed, they must all be fished out. 48 Likes 7 Shares |
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Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by NaijaCoverBlog(m): 1:14pm On Mar 26 |
Following |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by reiddecuti: 1:15pm On Mar 26 |
Nigerian government and drama. The most notorious unserious government in the whole wide world.
Things you considered impossible to happened in other countries are possible with a snap of a finger in Nigeria.
That's why snake and monkey swallows money and everybody walks away as if nothing happened.
Nigeria is a very pathetic country... 20 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by santaclaws: 1:15pm On Mar 26 |
He must have given the officers so much money that's worth losing their jobs for, otherwise, I don't understand how a foreigner would "escape" admidst such tight security.
They've all cashed out, they're national saboteurs. 28 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by tiswell(m): 1:16pm On Mar 26 |
Naija na comedy skit 12 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Dangbana01(m): 1:16pm On Mar 26 |
Wahala |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by saasala(m): 1:16pm On Mar 26 |
I use Binance to buy and sell small small amounts of crypto. I know people use this platform to launder money big time.
You will see P2P traders who only buy USDT, they never sell, they only buy. And some of them, the minimum they buy is 20m worth of USDT.
If you now look further, you will see their trading volume is very high. Many of them having 20,000 trades and above, buying 20m, 30m worth of crypto at a go, storing up millions of dollars every fvcking day.
Binance has done more harm. 23 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by spiSeyi: 1:16pm On Mar 26 |
The people in government thought that Nigerians are daft ![grin](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/grin.png) , how did they escape the heavily guarded NSA facilities to the extent of booking a flight and eventually passing through the immigration at the Airport. The NSA boss should be suspended if the FG means business, but my people the FG released this guys through the back door. All of these are crocodile tears ![grin](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/grin.png) . I am beginning to detest PBAT gov ![angry](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/angry.png) if this are the kind of clowns 🤡 we believe to turn things around then we are in a big mess. A government that can keep the hostage of two unarmed guys want to end insecurity ![grin](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/grin.png) 12 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by everythingtall3: 1:17pm On Mar 26 |
shame on the military if they allow this guy to miss just like that, we can't even claim victory for one single thing 6 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by sofeo(m): 1:18pm On Mar 26 |
Alright. |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by illuminutty: 1:18pm On Mar 26 |
Detain the NSA too. |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Ebinpawo1: 1:19pm On Mar 26 |
Ok |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Chummynoni(m): 1:19pm On Mar 26 |
Joke of a country. Smh 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by MaziObinnaokija: 1:19pm On Mar 26 |
![cool](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/cool.png) He can Run,can't hide.Sometin tel me say the man still dey somewhere UP North. 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by OKKO(m): 1:19pm On Mar 26 |
FreeStuffsNG: “Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and served 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
Where are those naysayers and unpatriotic elements saying he will not get a red notice?
He is done for! Fugitive on the run. He was first unfortunate to work for a criminal organisation involved in money laundering and financing terrorism now unfortunate to become a fugitive on the run and on interpol list.
Mallam Ribadu will smoke him out and squeeze those involved until they sing like canary. May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs! Always talking as if you had meeting with whom you are proposing the actions they WILL take. Sounds like Tinubu WILL handle economy... Shetima WILL handle insecurity.... Buhari WILL defeat BH, WILL fight corruption 15 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by tuzle(m): 1:20pm On Mar 26 |
FreeStuffsNG: “Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and served 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
Where are those naysayers and unpatriotic elements saying he will not get a red notice? He is done for! Fugitive on the run. He was first unfortunate to work for a criminal organisation involved in money laundering and financing terrorism now unfortunate to become a fugitive on the run and on interpol list.
Mallam Ribadu will smoke him out and squeeze those involved until they sing like canary. May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs! from where? If he manages to get to uk, there is nothing Nigeria government can do to him again. 7 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by odinaccess: 1:20pm On Mar 26 |
E don set, but how many politicians and terrorist sponsors have they contacted Interpol for. The problem with this country is following due process first of all you arrested them unduly without international warrant, they need to understand that you cannot treat every case the same way, they will first counter sue Nigeria for unlawful detention 7 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Watinani(m): 1:20pm On Mar 26 |
Their's some workaround regarding his escape, technically this is inside job from our security personnel 4 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by AleAirHub(m): 1:20pm On Mar 26 |
Gragra Nothing is going to happening once he set his feet in UK... 4 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by inoki247: 1:20pm On Mar 26 |
Lol the soldier don enta am....
Maybe he go come spend him loot after his incarceration.... |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by ClimaxHerbalixt(m): 1:20pm On Mar 26 |
Hmmm |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by LadyRosa(f): 1:21pm On Mar 26 |
STORRRRRRRRYYYYY! ![grin](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/grin.png) Na thief fit tell another thief where e go hide. |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Stephench: 1:21pm On Mar 26 |
Putindbutt: Those powerful cabal that used binance to launder money and compromised our security system to get him out so that they won't be exposed, they must all be fished out. You mean Tinubu and his APC minions? 3 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Stephench: 1:22pm On Mar 26 |
His arrest was illegal. Interpol will not do anything. He escaped from a witchhunt
Tinubu and APC are always looking for scape goats to shift blames on and for distractions 10 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by IPDGP: 1:22pm On Mar 26 |
Atleast this proves that those escaping things from movie can be true 2 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by socialmediaman: 1:22pm On Mar 26 |
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Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by stanbright(m): 1:23pm On Mar 26 |
everythingtall3: shame on the military if they allow this guy to miss just like that, we can't even claim victory for one single thing Claim victory on what exactly? Will his arrest change anything? Some of you are always interested in useless dramas and events in this country Why haven't asked for the senators to be arrested after receiving that huge amount of money 7 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by FreeStuffsNG: 1:23pm On Mar 26 |
tuzle: from where? If he manages to get to uk, there is nothing Nigeria government can do to him again. You must think its funny. With how much he probably knows, he is not even safe outside as fugitive. UK will not ignore a red notice. Don't try it o ![wink](https://www.nairaland.com/faces/wink.png) 4 Likes |
Re: Binance Chief: FG Contacts INTERPOL, Soldiers Held Over Detainee’s Escape by Spuggie: 1:24pm On Mar 26 |
FreeStuffsNG: “Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and served 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 Your optimism is misplaced. Try again
Where are those naysayers and unpatriotic elements saying he will not get a red notice? He is done for! Fugitive on the run. He was first unfortunate to work for a criminal organisation involved in money laundering and financing terrorism now unfortunate to become a fugitive on the run and on interpol list.
Mallam Ribadu will smoke him out and squeeze those involved until they sing like canary. May God bless Nigeria for ever! Check my signature for free stuffs! 1 Like |