Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has declared former Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva wanted for allegedly diverting $14.8 million in public funds earmarked for a refinery project. The agency secured a court-backed arrest warrant on November 6, 2025, and publicly announced the declaration on November 10.
The EFCC accuses Sylva, 61, of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257 released by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited. The funds were intended to finance refinery construction in Bayelsa State, according to the official EFCC statement posted on its verified X account.
Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted the warrant under Section 41 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. The order authorises any EFCC officer, police personnel, or law enforcement agent to arrest Sylva and produce him for questioning.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale urged the public to report any information on Sylva’s whereabouts to the nearest zonal command or police station.
The case centres on a 2021 NCDMB intervention aimed at boosting local refining capacity amid Nigeria’s chronic fuel import dependency. Atlantic International Refinery has shown no visible progress at its Brass, Bayelsa site despite receiving the funds, investigators claim.
Sylva served as Bayelsa governor from 2007 to 2012 and later as Minister of State for Petroleum under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2021 to 2023. He previously faced EFCC scrutiny over state contracts during his governorship, though charges were withdrawn after he assumed federal office.
The current probe marks a significant escalation against a high-ranking member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Security operatives raided Sylva’s Abuja home in late October 2025, initially linked to unconfirmed coup-related allegations, but the EFCC has clarified that the warrant stems solely from financial misconduct.
