The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a former Minister of Petroleum Resources and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of funds amounting to $14,859,257.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC said the wanted declaration followed ongoing investigations into funds reportedly injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited.
The money was said to have been part of a financial investment for the construction of a refinery project, which has now become the subject of an alleged fraudulent diversion.
According to the EFCC, a warrant for the arrest of the former governor was secured at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on November 6, 2025.
”The court order, granted by Justice D. I. Dipeolu, authorises any officer of the EFCC, the Nigeria Police Force, or other relevant security agencies to apprehend Sylva and bring him before the Commission to answer to the criminal charges under investigation.”
The warrant, as quoted in the EFCC statement, reads: “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.”
The anti-graft agency also called on members of the public who may have credible information about Sylva’s whereabouts to contact any of its zonal offices nationwide or report to the nearest police station and other security agencies.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring that public funds are protected and that those suspected of financial crimes are brought to justice, regardless of their former or current positions.
As of the time of filing this report, Timipre Sylva had not released an official statement responding to the EFCC’s declaration or the allegations raised against him.
Efforts by journalists to reach his media team were unsuccessful, and there has been no word from his associates or legal representatives.
Sylva, who governed Bayelsa State from 2007 to 2012, later served as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
During his tenure, he played a significant role in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector reforms and oversaw several policy initiatives related to energy development.
However, his name has surfaced in several corruption-related investigations over the years, though he has denied any wrongdoing.
The EFCC’s latest action marks a new phase in its probe into alleged financial mismanagement involving public-private partnerships linked to government investments.
The Commission has in recent months intensified efforts to recover funds allegedly misused in various projects and to hold accountable individuals accused of misappropriation.
The development has generated mixed reactions within Bayelsa State and across the political space, with some commentators calling for due process and transparency in the handling of the case, while others see it as part of the EFCC’s broader push to reassert credibility in its anti-corruption drive.
The EFCC has maintained that its investigation is part of a lawful and ongoing effort to recover misappropriated public resources and ensure that justice is served.
