Alleged $14.86million Fraud: EFCC Asks Bayelsa Ex-Governor Timipre Sylva To Appear For Questioning

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission – EFCC (EFCC) has asked former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva to appear for questioning over an alleged $14.86million fraud case after he accused the agency of acting as an arm of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, made the demand on Monday while responding to Sylva’s allegation that the commission had become politically aligned with the ruling party.

“He has been declared wanted; he should make himself available to the commission,” Oyewale said.

Sylva made the allegation against the EFCC after announcing his resignation from the APC on Monday.

In his resignation letter, dated August 31 and addressed to the APC chairman in Ward 4, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, he said he had copied the EFCC because of what he described as the commission’s increasingly political conduct.

“I am deliberately putting the EFCC in copy of this letter because, of late, it has conducted itself more as an organ of the APC than as an institution of State,” Sylva wrote.

The former governor also accused the APC-led Federal Government of failing to meet Nigerians’ expectations. He said he could no longer remain in a party whose leaders, in his view, had abandoned the principles on which the APC was founded.

Sylva’s resignation came as the EFCC continued to seek his appearance over the alleged financial offence. The commission declared him wanted in November 2025 over an alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion involving $14,859,257.

According to the EFCC’s earlier notice, the money was part of funds provided by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board to Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery. The commission has alleged that Sylva was involved in the handling of the funds, allegations he has denied.

The EFCC previously said its investigation into Sylva was not politically motivated. In November 2025, Oyewale said that the former governor had been under investigation for some time and was declared wanted after allegedly jumping administrative bail.

The financial investigation is separate from another case in which Sylva has been linked to an alleged plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He is listed as a defendant in a 13-count federal charge involving alleged treason, terrorism-related offences, conspiracy and money laundering, although he has denied involvement and has not been convicted.

In May 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted an interim forfeiture order covering nine properties allegedly linked to Sylva following an application by the EFCC. The court directed that the order be published to allow interested parties to show cause why the properties should not be permanently forfeited.

Sylva has remained outside the country amid the investigations. He left Nigeria after the investigation into the alleged plot became public and later suspended plans to return after a raid on his Abuja residence and the arrest of some of his associates.

The EFCC has now reiterated that Sylva must make himself available to the commission for questioning, while the former governor maintains that the agency’s actions against him are politically motivated. The allegations against him remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.