Binance: Experts flay executive’s escape as FG files tax evasion charges

guardian.ng:

Anjarwalla

• Sack NSA, Immigration boss, says HURIWA
• NSA activates re-arrest, contacts Interpol

The sudden escape of Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, from custody of the National Security Adviser has been eliciting reactions, especially criticism of Nigeria’s security architecture.

Binance is a popular cryptocurrency exchange platform that allows users to buy, sell, and trade digital assets.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) had kept sealed lips over the escape for several hours before coming up with a reaction, which some observers have described as ‘shame of a nation’.

Anjarwalla, 38, reportedly escaped on Friday, March 22, 2024, from an Abuja guesthouse where he and a 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.

It remains unclear how Anjarwalla got on an international flight, despite his British passport, with which he entered Nigeria, remaining in the custody of Nigerian authorities.

However, ONSA spokesman, Zakari Mijinyawa, revealed that the suspect fled, using a smuggled passport.

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the government agency responsible for embarkation and disembarkation of passengers at the airport gateways, could share the blame for the escape, a source familiar with the matter said.

NIS spokesman, Kenneth Udo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A former military officer and Managing Director of King David Security, David Akhimien, said the escape reflects the mood of the nation and the character of institutions that are meant to enforce law and order.

He said: “This