A one-time Governor of Bayelsa state and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, says his declaration as a wanted person by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is a glaring political witch hunt.
Sylva, in a statement issued this Tuesday (11/11/25) by his spokesperson, Julius Bokoru, alleged that the action of the EFCC was part of a “relentless theatre of persecution” engineered by political adversaries.
The former Governor described the move as “politically motivated and procedurally improper,” asserting that the anti-graft agency failed to notify him before declaring him wanted.
“These are deliberate machinations of those who dread Sylva’s enduring political relevance. No formal communication was extended to him, only a sudden digital proclamation designed to inflame public sentiment,” he claimed.
The former Minister made it clear that he never diverted any public funds and stressing that the refinery project under investigation — the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited — was transparently and duly documented.
Recall, the EFCC had on Monday, declared Sylva wanted over alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257 — said to be part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited to a build a refinery.
To this end, a warrant of arrest was issued by Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, authorising security agencies to apprehend Sylva and present him before the Commission.
