Mum is the posture from the camp of the former Bayelsa State Governor and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, after he was officially declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Sylva has been abroad for medical reasons, according to his aide after his name featured prominently as an alleged sponsor of a coup still under investigation by military authorities.
Lately, no word has been heard of the alleged plot though military men were said to have searched Sylva’s residence in Abuja.
According to the EFCC, Sylva is wanted in relation to an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of US $14,859,257.
The sum is said to have come from funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery.
The EFCC’s notice states that Sylva, aged 61 and hailing from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, is subject to a warrant issued on November 6, 2025 by a Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice D. I. Dipeolu.
The court’s order authorises officers of the EFCC, the police or any law enforcement agent to arrest Sylva and bring him before the Commission to respond to the allegations.
The EFCC has asked members of the public to provide any useful information regarding Sylva’s whereabouts, directing them to contact its zonal offices across Nigeria or the nearest police station.
At the time of the report, Sylva had not issued a public statement responding to the allegations.
