EFCC Declares Timipre Sylva Wanted Over Alleged $14.8m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14.8 million.

The declaration was made on Monday in a public notice signed by the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.

According to the agency, the case involves funds reportedly invested by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board in Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery.

The EFCC said the notice follows a warrant of arrest issued by the Lagos State High Court on November 6, 2025.

The statement reads: “The public is hereby notified that Timipre Sylva, a former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, and former Governor of Bayelsa State, is wanted by the EFCC in connection with an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.”

The Commission urged members of the public with reliable information about Sylva’s whereabouts to come forward.

To aid the manhunt, the EFCC released a comprehensive list of its offices nationwide, including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Uyo, Sokoto, Ibadan, Benin, Enugu, Makurdi, Maiduguri, Gombe and others.

It also provided a hotline and email address for tips.

“Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission… or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

The $14.8 million in question was reportedly part of an NCDMB investment into the refinery project, which has been under scrutiny for years.

Sylva, a former Bayelsa State governor, was recently linked to an alleged coup attempt, a claim he publicly denied.

The EFCC’s notice marks a significant escalation in its investigation into the refinery funding controversy.