The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) has declared former Minister of State, Petroleum Assets, Timipre Silva, wished over alleged diversion of $14.8 million earmarked for the development of a refinery.
This was disclosed in a discover posted by the EFCC and signed by Dele Oyewale, the Fee’s Head, Media & Publicity.
“The general public is hereby notified that TIMIPRE SYLVA, a former Minister of State, Petroleum Assets, and former Governor of Bayelsa State, whose {photograph} seems above is needed by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) in an alleged case of Conspiracy and Dishonest Conversion of $14,859,257- a part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content material Improvement and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic Worldwide Refinery and Petrochemical Restricted for the development of a Refinery,” the discover partly reads.
Extra Insights
In keeping with the Fee, Sylva, 61, who hails from Brass Native Authorities Space of Bayelsa State, is required to clear the air on the recent allegations.
- The EFCC careworn that the discover is pursuant to a November 6, 2025, warrant of the Lagos State Excessive Court docket.
Citing the order of the courtroom per Justice D.I. Dipeolu, the Fee quoted: “An order is made issuing a warrant to the applicant or any officer of the Fee, police, or any legislation enforcement officer for the arrest of the respondent for the aim of bringing him earlier than the Fee to reply to the felony offence he’s alleged to have dedicated.”
- Anyone with helpful data as to his whereabouts was suggested to contact the Fee in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja workplaces or by means of 08093322644; its e-mail tackle: [email protected] or the closest Police Station and different safety companies.
The event marks one other spherical of excessive high-profile probe of an ex-public official.
Backstory
The event comes days after the Home of Representatives resolved to launch an investigation into the deserted $35 million modular refinery venture in Brass, Bayelsa State, often known as Atlantic Worldwide Refinery and Petrochemical Restricted.
- The venture was mentioned to have been initiated in 2020 with vital monetary investments, however has recorded no seen progress since then.
- The choice to probe the venture adopted a movement of pressing public significance 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 beneath the Nigerian Content material Improvement and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), stays nonexistent regardless of the massive monetary dedication.
At plenary, lawmakers have been knowledgeable {that a} petition was despatched to the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (EFCC) in Could 2024, requesting a probe into NCDMB’s multimillion-dollar investments, together with the Brass refinery.
The lawmakers additionally queried why no motion had reportedly been taken by related companies practically a yr later.
The Home subsequently mandated the related committees to analyze the circumstances surrounding the $35 million funding.
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