Binance confirmed this CryptoSlate that Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the executives detained by Nigerian authorities, has escaped custody.
A Binance spokesperson said:
“We have been informed that Nadeem is no longer in Nigerian custody. Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees and we are working with the Nigerian authorities to quickly resolve this issue.”
Meanwhile, Tigran Gambaryan, the other detained Binance executive and US citizen, remains in authorities’ custody.
Amid this development, so have Nigerian authorities Reportedly has filed charges of tax evasion and complicity in tax fraud against Binance Holdings and its detained executives. The case is pending before the Federal Supreme Court.
How Anjarwalla escaped
Anjarwalla, a dual citizen of Kenya and Britain, Reportedly disappeared on March 22 during Friday prayers at a mosque in Abuja.
According to the report, Anjarwalla used a Kenyan passport to board a flight operated by an unnamed Middle Eastern airline.
Authorities are puzzled as to how Anjarwalla obtained this new passport, especially as he had no travel documents except his British passport when he was taken into custody.
There are suggestions that Anjarwalla may have planned his escape, taking advantage of certain privileges granted to him during detention, such as access to telephones.
Although Nigerian authorities have not yet released an official statement, there are speculations of ongoing covert operations to determine his destination and facilitate his return to custody.
Binance vs Nigeria
This development further complicates the ongoing tensions between Nigeria and Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume.
Recently, Nigerian authorities accused Binance of exacerbating the country’s currency problems by allegedly manipulating rates for personal gain. This led to the exchange’s official website being blocked and the two senior managers who tried to address the concerns being arrested.
Notably, a High Court has ordered Binance to provide the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with data relating to Nigerian users on its platform. However, the crypto trading platform has yet to comply with this guideline.
Meanwhile, the detention of these executives led to widespread condemnation from international crypto organizations, especially in the United States and Kenya, which criticized the Nigerian government’s actions.