The Nigerian government has located Nadeem Anjarwalla, an executive from cryptocurrency exchange Binance, who had managed to escape custody in Nigeria. A confidential source within the presidency confirmed the development, stating that discussions between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the International Criminal Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Kenyan Police Service have intensified to expedite Anjarwalla’s extradition.
The source, who prefers to remain anonymous, stated, “We are aware of his whereabouts. He is in Kenya, and we are working closely with the authorities to bring him back to Nigeria.” Last month, the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukuyede, announced that the commission is collaborating with INTERPOL, as well as the authorities in the US, UK, Northern Ireland, and Kenya, to apprehend Anjarwalla, who has been on the run. The EFCC has filed five-count charges related to tax evasion, currency speculation, and money laundering against Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan, and Anjarwalla.
Binance and its two executives were arraigned by the EFCC on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Anjarwalla escaped from custody on March 22 and has since evaded capture. The Nigerian government confirmed that the EFCC has taken full control of the Binance case from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
In recent months, the Nigerian government has been cracking down on Binance due to allegations of its involvement in manipulating the country’s foreign exchange market. During the 293rd meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee in February, Olayemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, revealed that more than $26 billion had passed through Binance without any trace.
