This marks an escalation in his troubles following his alleged link to an alleged plot to destabilise the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged $14.8 million fraud involving the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
In a statement issued on Monday, November 10, 2025, and signed by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency said Sylva is wanted in connection with an alleged case of “conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257, being part of funds injected by the NCDMB into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery.”
According to the EFCC, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, presided over by Justice D.I. Dipeolu, granted a warrant for Sylva’s arrest on November 6, 2025. The court order directed that “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 agency also appealed to members of the public with useful information about the whereabouts of the former minister to report to any of its zonal offices, the nearest police station, or other security agencies.
This marks an escalation in his troubles following his alleged link to an alleged plot to destabilise the administration of President Bola Tinubu.