Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has announced a warrant for the arrest of former petroleum minister Timipre Sylva, accusing him of conspiracy and dishonest conversion involving $14.86 million.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the money formed part of an investment by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd, intended for a refinery project.
The EFCC urged citizens with knowledge of Sylva’s whereabouts to report to its offices or the nearest police station.
A Federal High Court in Lagos issued the warrant on 6 November, authorising the EFCC to detain Sylva for questioning.
Justice D.I. Dipeolu directed law enforcement agencies to assist the commission in locating the former minister and ensuring he appears to answer the charges.
Sylva, who served as petroleum minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has not commented on the allegations.
Before his ministerial role, he governed Bayelsa State and was a prominent figure in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region, where corruption cases have long shadowed political officeholders.
The warrant underscores the EFCC’s renewed effort to tackle corruption among top officials and recover public funds lost to fraudulent investments.
Sylva’s case adds to a growing list of probes targeting former Buhari-era officials, as Nigeria faces deepening public frustration over economic hardship and mismanagement.
Authorities say the investigation reflects their determination to restore accountability in a country where corruption has eroded public trust and undermined national progress.
The EFCC said it would continue pursuing the matter until the former minister is brought before the court to face justice.