The Office of the National Security Adviser has confirmed the escape of a top executive of the cryptocurrency trading platform, Binance, Nadeem Anjarwalla, from lawful custody.
This follows earlier reports that one of the two Binance executives has escaped from the Abuja guest house where they were being held.
The confirmation is contained in a statement by the Head of Strategic Communications at the ONSA, Zakari Mijinyawa, where he stated that preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport.
“The personnel responsible for the custody of the suspect have been arrested, and a thorough investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances that led to his escape from lawful detention,” the statement reads.
Anjarwalla was said to have escaped after guards on duty led him to a nearby mosque for prayers in the spirit of the ongoing Ramadan fast.
He is believed to have flown out of Abuja using a Middle Eastern airliner — but how he got on an international flight despite his British passport, was unknown.
ONSA said “upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, MDAs, as well as the international community, to apprehend the suspect”.
