The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, wanted over allegations of conspiracy and unlawful conversion of about $14.8 million.
According to the anti-graft agency, the funds were provided by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for the construction of a refinery by Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited. The EFCC obtained an arrest warrant for Sylva from the Federal High Court in Lagos on November 6, 2025.
The agency urged anyone with information about his whereabouts to report to any of its offices across the country or contact law enforcement agencies.
This move follows the House of Representatives’ recent decision to investigate the alleged mismanagement of $35 million invested by NCDMB in the same refinery project, which reportedly never materialized. The investigation was initiated after concerns were raised about the disappearance of the funds and the absence of a functional refinery.
Sylva, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was recently in the news after his Abuja residence was raided by the military in connection with an alleged coup plot. He was reportedly outside the country at the time, while his aide and driver were detained during the operation.