Former minister of state for petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva, has described the decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to declare him wanted as a politically driven move aimed at tarnishing his image.
The anti-graft agency had on Monday issued a public notice alleging that the former governor was involved in the dishonest conversion of $14.8 million said to have been invested by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited.
In a statement issued on his behalf by his media aide, Julius Bokoru, Sylva faulted the EFCC for going public without any formal invitation or correspondence, saying the move appeared calculated to incite public resentment.
“It is curious that what was once whispered as a security matter has suddenly been repackaged as a financial allegation,” the statement said. “At no point was I contacted through any recognised channel. Instead, a public notice was issued in a manner that suggests an intention to stir sentiment and orchestrate hostility.”
Sylva alleged that the declaration was the latest phase in a sustained campaign by political rivals who “fear my continued relevance and moral standing.”
He maintained that the refinery project referenced by the EFCC was legitimate and backed by clear documentation.
“I have not diverted a single dollar. The project is transparent, verifiable, and traceable through due process. My hands are clean,” he said.
The former minister, who is currently in the United Kingdom receiving medical attention, said he would present himself to the EFCC upon his return to Nigeria.
He urged his supporters to remain calm, expressing confidence that the truth would prevail.
The development comes weeks after soldiers reportedly raided Sylva’s residences in Abuja and Bayelsa, arresting his brother. Sylva also dismissed those allegations as politically orchestrated.
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