Kenyan authorities are preparing to extradite Nadeem Anjarwalla, a Binance executive wanted by the Nigerian government.
Last weekend, a joint operation involving several agencies – such as the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police, the Kenya Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) – was launched last weekend. successfully captured. him after weeks of searching in Kenya.
After his arrest, local media outlet Punch, citing an undisclosed government source, said: revealed that Anjarwalla will be extradited to Nigeria within a week. There he is tried on charges of tax evasion.
Furthermore, Nigerian law enforcement authorities could pursue additional charges related to his use of illegal passports and his escape from custody.
Anjarwalla, Binance Africa’s regional manager, and another director, Tigran Gambrayan, found themselves in legal trouble in Nigeria in February after authorities arrested them over their connections to the crypto exchange.
However, Anjarwalla managed to escape from legal custody in March with a Kenyan passport and has been on the run ever since.
Updates on Binance’s situation in Nigeria
This development further exacerbates the ongoing conflict between Binance and Nigerian authorities.
Gambrayan, a key Binance executive arrested since February, is on trial for alleged tax evasion.
Tax evasion proceedings in particular have faced problems. A Nigerian court postponed the case twice because the charges had not been formally served on the stock exchange. The judge is expected to rule on the case on May 17.
Binance CEO Richard Teng has done just that promised working with the Nigerian authorities to resolve the problem. However, specific efforts to secure the release of the detained executives remain secret.
Meanwhile, Gambrayan’s attempt to secure his release has also faced setbacks. A Federal High Court in the country’s capital, Abuja, has postponed the hearing on his bail application and he is currently being held at the Kuje Correctional Centre.