EFCC declares ex-Minister Timipre Sylva wanted over alleged $14.8m refinery fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva, wanted over alleged diversion of $14.8 million earmarked for the construction of a refinery.

This was disclosed in a notice posted by the EFCC and signed by Dele Oyewale, the Commission’s Head, Media & Publicity.

“The public is hereby notified that TIMIPRE SYLVA, a former Minister of State, 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 notice partly reads.

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According to the Commission, Sylva, 61, who hails from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, is required to clear the air on the fresh allegations.

• The EFCC stressed that the notice is pursuant to a November 6, 2025, warrant of the Lagos State High Court.

Citing the order of the court per Justice D.I. Dipeolu, the Commission quoted:  “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.” 

• Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts was advised to contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.

The development marks another round of high high-profile probe of an ex-public official.

Backstory 

The development comes days after the House of Representatives resolved to launch an investigation into the abandoned $35 million modular refinery project in Brass, Bayelsa State, known as Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited.

• The project was said to have been initiated in 2020 with significant financial investments, but has recorded no visible progress since then.
• The decision to probe the project followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by a member from Edo State, Mr. Billy Osawaru, and was moved in October 2025.
• The lawmaker expressed concern that the refinery, initiated in 2020 under the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), remains nonexistent despite the huge financial commitment.

At plenary, lawmakers were informed that a petition was sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in May 2024, requesting a probe into NCDMB’s multimillion-dollar investments, including the Brass refinery.

The lawmakers also queried why no action had reportedly been taken by relevant agencies nearly a year later.

The House subsequently mandated the relevant committees to investigate the circumstances surrounding the $35 million investment.

EFCC declares ex-Minister Timipre Sylva wanted over alleged $14.8m refinery fraud - Nairametrics