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Nigeria Pursues Extradition of Binance Executive
Nigeria’s federal government is currently engaged in discussions with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to facilitate the extradition of a Binance executive who recently escaped detention in the country.
Collaborative Efforts for Extradition
According to reports from local media outlets, the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria is working in conjunction with INTERPOL, the FBI, and the British and Kenyan governments to arrange the arrest and extradition of the Binance executive, Nadeem Anjarwalla.
Multiple government sources have confirmed that the objective of this extradition is to return Anjarwalla to Nigeria to face charges related to a money laundering case pending against him in court. Anjarwalla was able to evade custody and abscond from the country last month, prompting an active pursuit for his return.
One government official described Anjarwalla as a fugitive who fled lawful detention and emphasized the importance of his appearance in court to address the pending legal matters. It is anticipated that Anjarwalla, along with Binance itself and his colleague Tigran Gambaryan, will be arraigned in court imminently.
Background of the Situation
Earlier in the year, Binance executives, including Anjarwalla and Gambaryan, were detained by Nigerian authorities amid an investigation into activities related to crypto exchanges. Although no formal charges were initially brought against them, the EFCC had requested their detention under a court order.
Despite a subsequent court appearance in mid-March extending their detainment, Anjarwalla managed to escape custody on March 22. Following this incident, additional charges of tax evasion were brought against both Anjarwalla and Gambaryan by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Subsequently, the EFCC filed charges of money laundering against Binance Holdings Limited, Anjarwalla, and Gambaryan, amounting to $35,400,000. The upcoming arraignment of the accused parties is scheduled to take place at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Legal Developments and Responses
In response to these legal actions, Gambaryan has taken legal recourse against the Nigerian government, alleging violations of his fundamental rights. He has contested the seizure of his passport, citing constitutional concerns and seeking redress for his detention through an official apology.
The EFCC has since taken over the case from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and has incarcerated Gambaryan pending further legal proceedings. Efforts to reach both Binance and the EFCC for comments on the situation are still ongoing.
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