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One of the two Binance executives detained in Nigeria has escaped custody, a development that coincides with the Nigerian government’s new tax evasion charges against the cryptocurrency exchange.
This all unfolded when reports emerged that Nadeem Anjarwalla, a British-Kenyan and one of the senior executives detained, managed to flee on Friday from the Abuja guest house where they were held. In the wake of these events, a Binance spokesperson said, “We were made aware that Nadeem is no longer in Nigerian custody. Our primary focus remains on the safety of our employees and we are working collaboratively with Nigerian authorities to quickly resolve this issue.” The Nigerian government is reportedly seeking Interpol’s assistance for an international arrest warrant for Anjarwalla.
Nadeem Anjarwalla
The families of the detained employees have voiced their concerns and distress. Elahe Anjarwalla, Nadeem’s wife, released a statement following his escape. She said, “Nadeem has no authority to make high-level decisions at Binance, and I am once again asking from the bottom of my heart that the Nigerian authorities please allow him and Tigran to return home while they continue their discussions with Binance. I am also calling on the British and Kenyan governments to do more to get Nadeem back home to us.”
Similarly, Yuki Gambaryan expressed the emotional toll on her family, saying, “The longer that our husbands are away from our families, the harder it is becoming for us to go about our daily lives.”
This comes as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has brought four charges against Binance for alleged non-payment of Value-Added Tax (VAT) and company income tax, failure to submit tax returns, and facilitation of tax evasion through its platform. Nigeria has also accused Binance of facilitating speculative attacks on the Nigerian naira through its platform, contributing to the currency’s depreciation.
