Chief Timipre Sylva, the former Minister of State for Petroleum, has formally requested that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) set a mutually agreeable date for him to appear regarding an alleged $14.8 million fraud investigation.
In a letter personally signed and addressed to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Sylva strongly contested the commission’s decision to declare him wanted, maintaining that he has never evaded a lawful invitation.
The letter, dated November 24 and officially acknowledged by the EFCC on November 26, stated that Sylva, a former Bayelsa State governor, is currently undergoing urgent medical treatment for a “life-threatening condition.” He noted that he is consulting with his medical team to determine if he can temporarily suspend his treatment to appear before the commission.
Sylva emphasized the need for cooperation, writing: “In view of the foregoing, I most humbly request that a mutually agreed date be set, subject to medical clearance, to enable me appear physically and formally.”
He added a pointed comment regarding the purpose of the invitation: “I trust that the objective of your invitation is not to unalive, but to genuinely investigate an alleged crime. For only the living can appropriately, fully and responsibly respond to any allegation, which I firmly and respectfully deny.”
The former Minister detailed a series of recent events that he claimed have placed immense pressure on him and his family, starting with “an unverified accusation” linking him to an alleged plot to undermine President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sylva noted that this matter subsequently led to a military raid on his Abuja residence, during which his drivers, security aides, and domestic staff were arrested and remain detained.
“While still grappling with the emotional and psychological strain of those events, I was on Monday, November 10, 2025, publicly declared wanted by your esteemed agency over an alleged $14.8m fraud,” he stated.
Sylva insisted that he had previously honored an EFCC invitation concerning the same matter in December 2024, after which he was granted administrative bail on self-recognition and told he would be contacted again if necessary.
“To the best of my knowledge and belief, no further invitation or correspondence was issued to me thereafter,” he wrote, expressing that it was “deeply surprising and profoundly unsettling” to learn of his wanted status via a public announcement.
He also outrightly rejected claims that he jumped bail, stating clearly that “no such incident occurred, nor was any such bail condition ever violated.” Sylva suggested that the recent actions against him may create “a public impression of political witch-hunt,” adding that he has appeared to be **“a target since the beginning of this administration.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain’s home raid was carried out by operatives believed to be from military intelligence, leading to the arrest of his younger brother, Paga (his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs), and his driver. Sylva’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Julius Bokoru, confirmed the raid but denied any coup involvement, accusing unnamed politicians of orchestrating mischief because they view the former governor as a threat. Bokoru also previously criticized the EFCC for declaring Sylva wanted without a prior invitation.
