BREAKING: EFCC declares Timipre Sylva wanted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted in connection with an alleged financial crime involving $14,859,257.

According to the EFCC, the funds were part of a contribution by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery. Sylva, 61, from Brass Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, is accused of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of the funds.

The notice follows a warrant issued by the Lagos State High Court on November 6, 2025. The EFCC has urged anyone with information on Sylva’s whereabouts to contact any of its offices across Nigeria, including Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, and Abuja. Tips can also be sent via [email protected] or through the commission’s hotline: 08093322644.

The EFCC emphasized that information could also be reported to the nearest police station or other security agencies.