By Olusegun Olanrewaju
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, yesterday raised the alarm over alleged threats to his life by a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
In a statement in Abuja, the former APC national spokesperson, however, said he had officially reported the matter to the police, via a petition to the Acting Inspector-General of Police (Ag. IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun, for investigation and necessary action.
He urged the IGP, Nigerians, and the international community, to hold Sylva responsible should any harm befall him in the near and foreseeable future.
Frank’s petition to the IGP, dated 27th June 2023, and signed by him, was entitled: ‘Incessant Threats to Life of Comrade Timi Frank’, signed by his counsel, Edward Omaga, who is the principal partner of GRAYLAW Practice LP, Abuja.
The petition reads in part: “Re: Petition Against Chief Timipre Sylva for Committing Acts Bordering on Identity Theft, Impersonation, Forgery of Academic Certificates and Giving False Evidence, Contrary to Section 486 of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,” and read together with Sections 366, 364 and 158 (2) of the Penal Code Act, CAP 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990.
“The above matter and our petition dated 22nd May 2023, which was received at your former office, the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Nigeria Police Force, Area 10, Garki, FCT- Abuja on 26th May 2023, refers:
“We write to report that while investigation activities are ongoing, Chief Timipre Sylva has resorted to threatening the life of our client, Comrade Timi Frank, for daring to blow the whistle regarding the anomalies contained in his academic certificates.
“Our client informed us through a distress call this morning that the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer in the Bayelsa State governorship election coming up on 14th November 2023, has made active plans to hunt him down wherever he is within or outside Nigeria.
“It is obvious that Chief Timipre Sylva has revealed these sinister plans to several of his close aides and associates, some of whom have called our client under the condition of anonymity to take caution,” he added.
The petition further averred, “It is important that you handle this alarm about the threat to the life of our client with utmost seriousness because Chief Timipre Sylva is a man known to be associated with cultists and other deadly squads, ready to carry out any order at his behest.
They, therefore, pleaded that “In the light of the above, we call on the Inspector-General of Police to take note that should anything untoward happen to our client, Chief Timipre Sylva should be held liable.”
The lawyers insisted that never in the history of Nigeria as a democratic country has it become an offence for a patriotic citizen such as Timi Frank to expose corrupt and fraudulent activities of serving or retired public officers.
“We pray that you take urgent actions capable of protecting the life of our client in line with your statutory duties under Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020.
“We are confident that as a man of competence and integrity, you will do everything possible to assure local and international observers that criminality will no longer thrive in Nigeria,” the counsel added.
