FG traces fleeing Binance executive, Anjarwalla to Kenya

The Nigerian government says it has traced the Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from custody in Nigeria to Kenya.

Consequently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the International Criminal Police (INTERPOL), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Kenyan Police Service have deepened talks to quicken Anjarwalla’s extradition to Nigeria.

Sources in the Presidency who are on top of the case said on Saturday that Anjarwalla, whose cover has now been blown, went into hiding immediately after he landed in Kenya.

The source revealed, “We have found him. We know where he is. He is in Kenya, and we’re working with the authorities to bring him back to Nigeria.”

Mr Anjarwalla, 38, was reported to have escaped from Nigeria on Friday, 22 March, 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.

An Immigration official had said 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.

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.