Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has issued an arrest warrant for the country’s former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, over allegations he diverted funds for a refinery project.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has accused Mr. Sylva and several others of diverting approximately $15 million (£11 million) of public money designated for the construction of an oil refinery.
The EFCC issued a “wanted notice” on social media seeking public information on the former minister’s whereabouts.
‘Politically Motivated’
However, a spokesperson for Mr. Sylva, Julius Bokoru, immediately dismissed the warrant as politically motivated.
Mr. Bokoru confirmed that the former minister is currently in the UK for a medical check-up but pledged that he would contact the EFCC upon his return to Nigeria.
The spokesperson strongly defended the refinery project at the heart of the case, stating it was a “legitimate, transparent, and verifiable undertaking” with “traceable documentation.”
He criticised the EFCC for publicising the warrant on social media without first contacting the former minister, suggesting the move was intended to “inflame public sentiment.”
The EFCC insists its public notice followed a warrant legally issued by a High Court in Lagos last Thursday.
Mr. Sylva served as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. He previously governed the oil-rich southern state of Bayelsa between 2007 and 2012.
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