“Digital Manhunt!” — Sylva Camp Slams EFCC Over ‘Wanted’ Drama, Explain Ex-Minister Is A Victim

The camp of former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for declaring him wanted through social media posts, describing the move as a politically motivated attack wrapped in sensationalism.

In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, the group accused unnamed political forces of orchestrating a coordinated campaign to tarnish Sylva’s image and reduce his influence ahead of unfolding political realignments.

Bokoru expressed shock that the EFCC resorted to what he called a “digital proclamation” without following formal channels of communication. He said no letter or official notification was sent to Sylva before the public declaration, which he described as an “unceremonious ambush” designed to inflame public opinion.

“It is curious that what was once whispered as a ‘coup matter’ has suddenly transformed into a financial allegation,” Bokoru said. “The same shadowy forces that once tried to criminalise Sylva politically have now rebranded themselves as fiscal crusaders. There must be an explanation for this cinematic transition—from rumour to reinvention, from one carefully scripted accusation to another.”

The statement noted that Sylva remains committed to due process and will honour the EFCC’s invitation once he concludes his ongoing medical check-up in the United Kingdom. Bokoru maintained that the former minister had never diverted public funds or abused his position, insisting that the refinery project under scrutiny was a legitimate, transparent, and verifiable initiative.

“The desperation to sully Sylva’s name knows no restraint—its sponsors are zealous, its intentions transparent, and its malice unmistakable,” he said. “Yet, let it be categorically stated: Chief Timipre Sylva has clean hands. He has not diverted a single dollar, nor has he betrayed the trust reposed in him by the Nigerian people.”

Bokoru described the anti-graft agency’s action as part of a broader “theatre of persecution” aimed at discrediting his principal through serial accusations. He added that those behind the campaign fear Sylva’s enduring political relevance and moral resilience.

“To our friends, allies, and well-wishers, this too shall pass,” he concluded. “Truth, though often delayed, remains immutable. Those engineering this relentless campaign of defamation will not prevail—for light, by its very nature, must always outshine darkness.”

Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State and one-time minister under President Muhammadu Buhari, has yet to personally respond to the EFCC’s announcement but is said to be monitoring developments closely through his aides.