The Federal Government has located the fleeing Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, in Kenya, following his escape from custody in Nigeria.
Following the development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the International Criminal Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Kenyan Police Service have deepened talks to quicken Anjarwalla’s extradition.
Sources in the Presidency who are on top of the case told Saturday PUNCH 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.”
Another source also close to the matter, corroborated the first source’s statement.
The source noted, “All hands are on the deck. The government and all the security agencies are working hard in conjunction with the Kenyan authorities and INTERPOL, to ensure his return to Nigeria to face the charges brought against him.”
Meanwhile, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, had in the March edition of the agency’s bulletin titled, “EFCC Alert,” which was released last week, confirmed that the commission was working in conjunction with the International Criminal Police Organisation, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, the governments of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and Kenya to extradite Anjarwalla.
Olukoyede noted, “The takeover of the prosecution of Binance chiefs by the commission is no less a strong message in the direction of EFCC’s resolve to hedge in distortions and disruptions in the country’s forex market.
“Tax evasion, currency speculation, and money laundering to the tune of $35.4m are at the foundation of the commission’s five-count charges against Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, the company’s chief executives.
“While Gambaryan is currently in the commission’s net, the process of extraditing the fleeing Anjarwalla is revving in full swing.
“Involved in partnership with the EFCC to nick Anjarwalla in flight are the International Criminal Police Organisation, the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation, the governments of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, and Kenya as the clock winds down to his arraignment in absentia alongside the company and Gambaryan.”
