November 10, (THEWILL) — 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 an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.
In a public notice released on Monday, the anti-graft agency announced that the 61-year-old former Bayelsa governor is being sought in connection with funds reportedly diverted from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, allegedly for the construction of a refinery.
According to the EFCC, the declaration follows a warrant of arrest issued by the Lagos State High Court on November 6, 2025.
The notice, signed by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity, stated that the former minister has been under investigation for his alleged role in the mismanagement of public funds during his tenure as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
EFCC urged members of the public with useful information about Sylva’s whereabouts to contact any of its offices across the country, including Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja, or to send information via email to info@efcc.gov.ng or call 08093322644.
“The public is hereby notified that Timipre Sylva, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the EFCC in an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion”, the notice read in part.
The anti-graft body noted that the alleged funds were part of contributions from the NCDMB, which were intended to develop local refining capacity and enhance Nigeria’s energy independence, but were instead misappropriated.
Sylva, who hails from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, served as Governor of Bayelsa between 2007 and 2012, and later as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
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