By Seyi Odewale
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 allegations of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257 belonging to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The anti-graft agency, in a public notice signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stated that the wanted declaration was made pursuant to a warrant issued by the Federal High Court, Lagos, on November 6, 2025.
According to the EFCC, the funds in question were part of the financial contributions made by the NCDMB into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, a company established for the construction of a modular refinery in Bayelsa State.
The Commission stated that Sylva, 61, is wanted in connection with a conspiracy and dishonest conversion case involving the funds, which were allegedly misappropriated during his tenure as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
The declaration comes just weeks after Sylva was reportedly mentioned in separate investigations into political and security matters by federal authorities.
However, the EFCC clarified that his current wanted status strictly relates to financial misappropriation allegations tied to the NCDMB investment.
“The public is hereby notified that Timipre Sylva, a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Governor of Bayelsa State, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257 — part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery,” the EFCC statement read.
Sylva, who hails from Brass Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, served as governor between 2008 and 2012 before being appointed Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in 2019. He resigned in 2023 to contest the Bayelsa governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The EFCC urged members of the public with information about his whereabouts to report to its offices across the country or contact law enforcement agencies.
The case against Sylva stems from alleged financial impropriety involving funds committed by the NCDMB into a private refinery initiative in Bayelsa.
The EFCC’s investigation reportedly uncovered evidence suggesting that the funds, amounting to $14.8 million, were diverted for purposes unrelated to the intended refinery project.
The Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited was one of several public-private partnership initiatives aimed at boosting domestic refining capacity and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
However, the project, conceived as a flagship model for Niger Delta industrial development, has since stalled amid controversies over funding and project execution.
Sources within the Commission disclosed that the wanted declaration followed months of unsuccessful attempts to get Sylva to appear before investigators for questioning.
“Several invitations were extended to the former minister, but he failed to honour them,” an EFCC official said, insisting that the declaration was a lawful step to compel his appearance.
