Nigerian security agencies including the Department of State Services (DSS) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), are believed to have commenced interface with the Interpol and other international law enforcement partners with the sole aim of tracking and extraditing former governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva to the country.
Sylva, who left the country since last year is being declared wanted in connection with alleged financial crimes and also link to a foiled coup plot against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Abuja residence of the former Bayelsa State Governor was raided by the operatives of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), which was carried out as part of investigations into the alleged coup plot against President Tinubu-led administration.
The October 25, 2025 raid by the DIA followed the arrest of 16 military officers allegedly linked to a coup plot even as Sylva was out of the country at the time.
His younger brother, Paga Sylva — Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs — and his driver were however, detained during the operation.
Forefront News gathered from security sources that the embattled Sylva, who is also wanted by the EFCC over an alleged $14,859,257 fraud, may soon be arraigned in absentia if he fails to return to the country.
According to the source; “Interpol was contacted immediately after he was declared wanted. The EFCC and DSS are tracing his whereabout and he can’t hide for long. The matter is simple, if he knows that he is innocent, it is in his interest that he submits himself for investigation”.
The security source referenced the case with Nnamdi Kanu, the jailed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was arrested abroad. Before his arrest, he thought he was off the radar. In the same vein, we will get Sylva.
Another source close to the EFCC, who craved anonymity, told Forefront News that Sylva would soon be arraigned by the anti-graft agency soon.
The EFCC declared Sylva wanted on November 10, 2025, over alleged ‘conspiracy and dishonest conversion’ of about $15 million being funds that were expected to be part of monies injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board into the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for refinery construction.
Three months later, Sylva has yet to return to the country even as his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, dismissed claims linking him (Sylva) to any coup plot, saying that it was “baseless and politically- motivated”.
Bokoru in a statement said Sylva was in the United Kingdom for medical examinations and would comply with EFCC invitations upon his return and described the allegations as the work of “desperate and self-seeking politicians” seeking to advance their ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.
