BREAKING: EFCC Declares Timipre Sylva Wanted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted.

The anti-graft agency said the former Bayelsa State governor is wanted in connection with an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.

“The public is hereby notified that TIMIPRE SYLVA, a former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, and former Governor of Bayelsa State, whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Conspiracy and Dishonest Conversion of $14,859,257 – part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a Refinery. Sylva, 61, is from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

“This notice is pursuant to a November 6, 2025 warrant of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

“Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, florin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: [email protected] or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies,” read a notice signed by EFCC’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale.

Late last month, Sylva confirmed that military operatives raided his Abuja residence following reports that he was involved in an alleged attempt to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government.

In a statement by his media aide, Julius Bokoru, the former minister, however, denied involvement in the alleged plot.

Operatives were said to have also raided Sylva’s Bayelsa residence.

Sylva’s brother and the managing director of a federal agency in the South-South were said to have been arrested and interrogated by security agencies for allegedly transferring funds to him for alleged coup financing.

The former minister, according to reports, was out of the country during the raids.

“In the past forty-eight hours, I have been inundated with calls from members of the press, political associates, and concerned individuals regarding a circulating report alleging that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, has ‘fled’ the country in connection with certain purported matters.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is true that the residence of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, was recently subjected to a raid by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters. During the said operation, considerable damage was inflicted upon the property.

“Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid. To the best of my knowledge, the officers involved did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions, either at the time or subsequently.

“It is important to state unequivocally that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, and his esteemed wife, Her Excellency, Alanyingi Sylva, were both outside the country at the time of the incident,” Sylva’s media aide had said.

The incidents followed DHQ’s arrest of 16 army officers over the alleged coup attempt.