The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.

According to a public notice issued on Monday by the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the funds in question were reportedly provided by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited.

The notice read in part:

“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 stated that the warrant for Sylva’s arrest was obtained on November 6, 2025, from the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, presided over by Justice D. I. Dipeolu.

Quoting the court order, Oyewale said:

“An order is made issuing a warrant to the applicant or any officer of the commission, police, or any law enforcement officer for the arrest of the respondent for the purpose of bringing him before the commission to answer to the criminal offence he is alleged to have committed.”

The notice further indicated that Sylva, 61, hails from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Members of the public with useful information regarding his whereabouts are urged to contact any of the EFCC’s zonal offices nationwide, send an email to info@efcc.gov.ng, or call 08093322644.

This development comes 27 days after the House of Representatives resolved to investigate the alleged mismanagement of a $35 million investment by the NCDMB in a modular refinery project that never materialised in the Niger Delta.

The motion, sponsored by Hon. Billy Osawaru, questioned the non-existence of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited despite a significant federal investment made five years ago.

Citing a Premium Times report, Osawaru revealed that concerned stakeholders had petitioned the EFCC in May 2024 to investigate NCDMB’s multi-million-dollar investments, including the Atlantic Refinery project. He, however, lamented that the anti-graft agency had yet to take visible action nearly a year later.

Consequently, the House mandated its Committees on Midstream, Downstream, and Legislative Compliance to probe the $35 million investment and submit their findings within four weeks.

Meanwhile, Sylva recently made headlines following a military raid on his Abuja residence on October 25 over alleged links to an attempted coup. During the operation, his younger brother, Paga — who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs — and his driver were reportedly arrested.

Sylva, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was said to be out of the country during the raid. His Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Julius Bokoru, confirmed the incident but denied Sylva’s involvement in any coup plot, describing the military’s actions as “unjustified and damaging.”