Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the two Binance executives detained by Nigerian authorities, has escaped from the detention facility.
Mr Anjarwalla, who is 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 February 26, 2024.
They were arrested over alleged tax evasion and other offenses by the government.
According to Premium Times, Mr Anjarwalla, 38, escaped on Friday, March 22, 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.
The Briton, who also has Kenyan citizenship, is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle East airliner.
“It remains unclear how Mr Anjarwalla got on an international flight despite his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, remaining in the custody of the Nigerian authorities.
“Authorities are also said to be working to unravel his intended destination in a bid to get him back into custody”, the report said.
An immigration official told the online newspaper that 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,” the report added.
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.
Credit Gist New Today News in Newspaper Nigeria Headlines
