The former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and ex-governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva has been formally declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Sylva, whose name had been widely linked to an attempted coup in the country as an alleged major financier, was declared wanted on Monday.
Newsmata.com.ng reports that Sylva served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources from 2019 to 2023 and served as Governor of Bayelsa State from 2007 to 2012.
The antigraft agency said Sylva, 61, from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, is wanted in an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonesty.
The EFCC accused the former minister of having conspired and dishonestly converted the sum of $14,859,257, being part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of an undisclosed refinery.
According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, “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”.