Fatimah Otunsanya
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of US$14,859,257.
In a public notice on Monday, the commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the funds were provided by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board for Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical.
The notice read, “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 Lagos State High Court.
“Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest police station and other security agencies.”
Oyewale said the commission obtained a warrant on November 6 from a Federal High Court in Lagos to arrest Sylva.
“The commission, on November 6, 2025, secured a warrant for the arrest of the former Minister at a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
The order, granted by Justice D.I. Dipeolu, stated: ‘An order is made issuing a warrant to the applicant or any officer of the commission, police, or any law enforcement officer for the arrest of the respondent for the purpose of bringing him before the commission to answer to the criminal offence he is alleged to have committed,’” Oyewale said in a statement supporting the notice.
This development comes 27 days after the House of Representatives resolved to probe the alleged mismanagement of a $35 million investment by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board in a modular refinery project that never materialised in the Niger Delta.
The motion was moved by a House of Representatives member, Billy Osawaru, who raised concerns over the non-existence of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, despite a significant federal investment made five years ago.
Also, Sylva recently made headlines after his Abuja residence was raided by the military on October 25 over alleged involvement in an attempted coup.
His younger brother, Paga, who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, along with his driver, was arrested.
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, was reportedly out of the country at the time of the raid.
His Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Julius Bokoru, confirmed the operation but denied any involvement in a coup and criticised the military for causing damage to Sylva’s property.