The Nigerian government is in talks with the International Police Organisation (INTERPOL), as part of efforts to extradite an executive director of crypto-currency firm, Binance Holdings Limited, Nadeem Anjarwall, to face charges of money laundering.
The country’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will, on Thursday, charge Anjarwalla’s colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, to the Federal High Court in Abuja and the government is making efforts to see if the fugitive can be brought back into the country in time for the trial.
Anjarwalla was arrested in February alongside Gambaryan over alleged $35,400,000 money laundering, among other charges.
The two executives were detained in a safe house in Abuja on the order of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, pending when they would be charged at the Federal High Court, Abuja..
But on March 22, Anjarwalla, a British citizen, made a daring escape from custody when he slipped away from his guards following a Ramadan prayer service at a nearby Mosque, and fled the country using a Kenyan passport.
However, a top government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Nigerian government was in advanced talks with the international police to finalize moves to extradite Anjarwalla to Nigeria to face the charges against him.
“Mr Anjarwalla’s extradition process has begun. The Federal Government is working as did with INTERPOL to extradite the fugitive to Nigeria.
“He’s a fugitive that escaped from lawful custody, and his other partner is still in custody and would be arraigned on Thursday alongside their company, Binance.
“It is true that the Federal Government has commenced the process of extraditing Binance executive Anjarwalla, in order to bring him back to Nigeria to answer to his money laundering case in court, among others. The arraignment of Binance and Gambaryan in court on Thursday will also aid Anjarwalla’s extradition.”
The source however, noted that Anjarwalla’s absence would not affect the arraignment of Binance and Gambaryan on Thursday over the five-count money laundering charge.