The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a fresh summons to former Bayelsa State Governor and one-time Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, urging him to make himself available for questioning over an alleged $14.86 million fraud.
EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale made the call on Monday, September 1, 2026, while responding to Sylva’s recent public criticism of the anti-graft agency. Oyewale stated: “He has been declared wanted; he should make himself available to the commission.”
The development follows Sylva’s resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the same day. In his resignation letter, which he copied to the EFCC, the former governor accused the commission of conducting itself “more as an organ of the APC than as an institution of the state.”
He also criticised the ruling party for abandoning its founding ideals and said the administration of President Bola Tinubu had disappointed Nigerians. Sylva indicated he was prepared for any intensified scrutiny that might follow his exit from the party.
The EFCC had declared Sylva wanted in November 2025 in connection with alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257. The funds form part of an investment by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery project that reportedly failed to materialise. A Federal High Court in Lagos issued a warrant for his arrest on November 6, 2025.
Sylva, who hails from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has remained at large since the declaration. Reports indicate he left the country amid the investigation.
His media aide previously stated that he was undergoing medical treatment in the United Kingdom and would honour any invitation upon his return and medical clearance. In a letter to the EFCC dated around that period, Sylva requested a mutually agreed date for appearance subject to medical advice, while denying the allegations.
Beyond the fraud case, Sylva is listed as a defendant and described as “still at large” in a separate 13-count federal charge involving allegations of treason, terrorism-related offences, conspiracy, and money laundering linked to an alleged plot against the Tinubu administration.
Investigators have reportedly identified him as an alleged principal financier of the plot, accusing him of contributing about N785 million through an Abuja-based company, Purple Waves Limited. Sylva has denied any involvement in the alleged plot.
The EFCC’s renewed call comes amid ongoing efforts by the commission, which has previously placed international law enforcement agencies on alert regarding Sylva’s whereabouts. No conviction has been recorded against him in either matter, and the allegations remain before the relevant authorities.
As of the latest reports, Sylva has not publicly responded to the fresh summons beyond the broader criticisms contained in his APC resignation statement. The commission continues to urge members of the public with information on his location to contact its offices nationwide.
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