The former governor of Bayelsa State and erstwhile Minister of Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not observe any protocol before declaring him wanted.
In a statement on Monday, Julius Bokoru, special assistant on Media and Public Affairs to Mr Sylva, said the commission only took to social media to announce, “quite unceremoniously”, that it had declared the former minister wanted.
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“No formal communication was extended to him, no established protocol observed—only a sudden digital proclamation designed, it would seem, to inflame public sentiment and manufacture yet another episode of orchestrated hostility,” Mr Bokoru said.
He described it as “curious” that what, he said, was once whispered in corridors as a “coup matter” had now “quietly metamorphosed into a financial allegation.”
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“The same shadowy forces that once sought to criminalise Sylva politically now appear to have reinvented themselves as fiscal crusaders. There must, undoubtedly, be an explanation for this cinematic transition—from rumour to reinvention, from one carefully scripted accusation to another,” he added.
The spokesperson said Mr Sylva was the target of a coordinated and calculated political onslaught.
“His recent travails bear an uncanny resemblance to the trials of Job in Holy Scripture—each ordeal arriving with near-mathematical precision, each accusation discredited only for another to appear,” he said, adding, “These are no coincidences; they are deliberate machinations of those who dread Sylva’s enduring political relevance and moral resolve.”
Mr Bokoru said he had not been in direct contact with his principal. “However, from available information and from prior official briefings, it is important to restate that Chief Sylva will, in line with his respect for lawful institutions and due process, honour the invitation of the EFCC once he concludes his ongoing medical check-up in the United Kingdom.”
He further added: “At this stage, one might jest that only the Boys’ Brigade of Nigeria and the Man’O’War remain uninvited to this theatre of persecution. The desperation to sully Sylva’s name knows no restraint—its sponsors are zealous, its intentions transparent, and its malice unmistakable. Yet, let it be categorically stated: Chief Timipre Sylva has clean hands. He has not diverted a single dollar, nor has he betrayed the trust reposed in him by the Nigerian people. The refinery project in question is a legitimate, transparent, and verifiable undertaking—subject to due process and traceable documentation.
“To our friends, allies, and well-wishers: this, too, shall pass. Truth, though often delayed, remains immutable. It neither bows to propaganda nor perishes in the tumult of falsehood. Those engineering this relentless campaign of defamation will not prevail—for light, by its very nature, must always outshine darkness.”
Background
The EFCC declared Mr Sylva wanted over an alleged $14.85 million fraud.
The commission announced the development on social media on Monday, sharing a photograph of Mr Sylva.
According to the EFCC, Mr Sylva is implicated in a case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of funds provided by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for the construction of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited.
On 6 November, the commission secured a warrant for the arrest of the former minister at a Federal High Court in Lagos.
The order, granted by Justice D.I. Dipeolu, stated:
“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.”
Mr Sylva, 61, from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, recently had his home raided by soldiers investigating an alleged coup plot to topple President Bola Tinubu. He confirmed the raid but denied any involvement in a coup attempt.
“During the said operation, considerable damage was inflicted upon the property. Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid. To the best of my knowledge, the officers involved did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions, either at the time or subsequently,” Mr Bokoru said after the raid.
Mr Bokoru added that Mr Sylva was not in the country during the raid and did not disclose when he plans to return.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that over 30 suspects may face trial over the failed coup, while about seven remain at large. It is unclear whether Mr Sylva is among those on the run.
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