Kenyan authorities have arrested Nadeem Anjarwalla, a senior executive of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, following his previous escape from Nigeria.
Sources within the Kenyan Police Service have revealed that Anjarwalla is facing extradition back to Nigeria, with INTERPOL leading the efforts. A government source who pleaded anonymity said the arrest of Anjarwalla occurred on Sunday.
One of the sources disclosed that “Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla, has been arrested by the Kenya Police Service, and he will be extradited to Nigeria this week by INTERPOL.” This arrest is an important development in the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had been tracking Anjarwalla’s movements to Kenya.
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Anjarwalla’s arrival in Kenya had initially led to him going into hiding, but authorities eventually located him. “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,” a source asserted. This highlights the collaborative efforts between Nigerian and Kenyan authorities to apprehend the executive.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede confirmed the extensive international cooperation in the case, stating, “The takeover of the prosecution of Binance chiefs by the commission sends a strong message about EFCC’s resolve to address distortions and disruptions in Nigeria’s forex market.”
Olukoyede elaborated on the charges, mentioning tax evasion, currency speculation, and money laundering to the tune of $35,400,000 against Binance Holdings Limited, Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla.
Efforts to bring Anjarwalla to justice are intensifying, with Gambaryan already detained by the Commission.
Olukoyede outlined the collaborative efforts, stating, “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.”
The extradition process involves close coordination between INTERPOL and the police forces of both Nigeria and Kenya. Nigerian authorities, determined to ensure accountability, have been actively pursuing Anjarwalla in connection with the alleged financial crimes.
As the case progresses, Anjarwalla’s extradition and subsequent legal proceedings will shed more light on the allegations against him and the extent of his involvement in the reported offenses.