EFCC Declares Former Minister Timipre Sylva Wanted Over $14.8 Million Refinery Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Monday that it has declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva wanted. A Lagos Federal High Court issued an arrest warrant on 6 November 2025, authorizing law‑enforcement agencies to apprehend Sylva for alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257 earmarked by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited project. The EFCC’s notice, signed by spokesperson Dele Oyewale, urges the public to provide any information on Sylva’s whereabouts and lists contact points nationwide. Sylva’s aide, Julius Bokoru, denounced the declaration as a “coordinated political onslaught,” insisting Sylva will honor the invitation once his UK medical check‑up is complete. The development follows a parliamentary probe into the abandoned $35 million modular refinery in Brass, Bayelsa State, and adds to a string of high‑profile investigations of former officials.
