Sylva denounces EFCC ‘persecution drama
…. says corruption allegations are politically motivated
Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, has accused his political adversaries of orchestrating what he called a “relentless theatre of persecution” following his recent declaration as wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Julius Bokoru, Sylva described the EFCC’s move as a politically charged ambush, arguing that due process was ignored and that he was never formally notified before the agency went public.
“His recent travails bear an uncanny resemblance to the trials of Job in the Holy Scripture — each ordeal arriving with near-mathematical precision, each accusation discredited only for another to appear,” Bokoru stated.
He alleged that the campaign against Sylva was a calculated attempt by his opponents to tarnish his image and diminish his influence.
“These are not coincidences; they are deliberate machinations of those who fear Sylva’s enduring relevance and moral resilience. No formal communication was made, no protocol observed — just a sudden digital proclamation meant to inflame public sentiment,” the statement added.
Sylva firmly denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that he neither diverted public funds nor mismanaged resources under his watch. He insisted that the refinery project at the center of the probe — Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited — was entirely lawful, transparent, and accountable.
“Chief Timipre Sylva has clean hands. He has not diverted a single dollar, nor betrayed the trust of Nigerians. The refinery project is legitimate, verifiable, and subject to due process,” Bokoru affirmed.
The EFCC had earlier declared Sylva wanted for alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257, said to be part of funds invested by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into the refinery project.
According to a statement signed by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the Commission alleged that Sylva and others misappropriated portions of the investment for personal gain. A warrant for his arrest was issued on November 6, 2025, by Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos, directing law enforcement agencies to apprehend him and present him before the EFCC.
The agency has appealed to the public for information regarding Sylva’s whereabouts.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the EFCC’s fourth prosecution witness in the alleged N80.2 billion fraud case involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello confirmed that withdrawals made by the Kogi State Government did not breach any banking regulations.
Testifying before Justice Emeka Nwite, Mshelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, also clarified that Sylva’s name did not appear in any of the accounts tendered as evidence.
During cross-examination, Bello’s counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), pointed out that some withdrawals by an individual named Umar Comfort Olufunke were not included in the prosecution’s case, which had focused primarily on transactions made by Abdulsalam Hudu, the cashier at Kogi Government House, between December 2017 and April 2018.
The witness confirmed other withdrawals made by Alhassan Omakoji between November 2021 and December 2022, noting that all were within the Central Bank of Nigeria’s transaction limits. He added that no law dictates how state governments must manage their own funds.
Following his testimony, the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), declined further questioning, and the witness was discharged.
Justice Nwite subsequently ordered the removal of irrelevant documents from the record and adjourned the case until November 11 for the continuation of trial.
