The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, wanted over allegations of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.
In an official notice signed by the Commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC stated that the funds in question were part of investments made by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery.
According to the anti-graft agency, the declaration follows a warrant issued on November 6, 2025, by the Lagos State High Court.
“The public is hereby notified that TIMIPRE SYLVA, a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Governor of Bayelsa State, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Conspiracy and Dishonest Conversion of $14,859,257,” the statement read.
The EFCC described Sylva, aged 61, as an indigene of Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The Commission urged anyone with useful information regarding his whereabouts to contact any of its offices across the country or report to the nearest police station or security agency.
Members of the public are encouraged to reach the EFCC via its hotlines or official email: info@efcc.gov.ng, or through its offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, and Abuja.
The EFCC reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability and transparency in the management of public resources, stressing that no individual, regardless of status, is above the law.
