Timipre Sylva, the former governor of Bayelsa State, is yet to return to Nigeria months after Defence Intelligence Agency agents stormed his home in Abuja.
The raid was reportedly related to enquiries into President Bola Tinubu’s suspected coup plot.
Timipre Sylva may be tried in absentia for financial crimes, according to information obtained by Sunday PUNCH. Sylva was also listed as wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged $14,859,257 fraud in November of 2025.
One of our journalists was informed by senior officials of the Department of State Services and the EFCC that the former governor was currently being pursued by the International Criminal Police Organization and other Nigerian allies in the fight against crime.
Military’s lies about coup
In October 2025, claims of a coup attempt were denied by the Defence Headquarters, even though 16 officers were detained and arrested for allegedly supporting the conspiracy.
Join our WhatsApp community
On October 18, 2025, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, the DHQ’s Director of Defence Information, issued a statement denying a Sahara Reporters article that connected the officers’ incarceration to an attempted coup and the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade.
Gusau described the report as “intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.”
“The ongoing investigation involving the 16 officers is a routine internal process aimed at ensuring discipline and professionalism within the ranks. An investigative panel has been duly constituted, and its findings will be made public,” he said.
However, last Monday, the military backtracked, confirming that there was indeed a plot to topple Tinubu’s administration.
Maj Gen Samaila Uba, the new Director of Defence Information, presented the results of investigations into the jailed officers, stating that they found some officers who had charges to answer about accusations of conspiring a coup to overthrow the government.
He said, “The findings identified a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government, which is inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the AFN.”
He stated that in accordance with the Armed Forces Act and other relevant service regulations, those accused would be properly arraigned before the appropriate military judicial panels and put on trial.
On October 25, 2025, DIA agents invaded Timipre Sylva’s Abuja home after the 16 military personnel were taken into custody.
Timipre Sylva was out of the country at the time his house was raided, but his younger brother, Paga, who serves as his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, along with his driver, was arrested during the operation.
However, Timipre Sylva’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, dismissed reports linking his principal to the coup plot, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
He described the reports as the handiwork of “desperate and self-seeking politicians seeking to actualise their ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.”
In a statement, Bokoru condemned the EFCC’s action, noting that the former minister was undergoing medical examination in the UK and would honour the commission’s invitation upon his return to Nigeria.
However, three months after being declared wanted, Timipre Sylva has not returned to the country.
EFCC, Interpol intensify chase
The EFCC had notified Interpol to assist in the former governor’s arrest, according to source’s findings.
Top security officials, including DSS and police officers, told newsmen that Interpol was involved in efforts to capture Sylva, despite the fact that Interpol’s spokesperson in Nigeria, Benjamin Hundeyin, who also serves as the Force Public Relations Officer, did not return calls or messages.
“Interpol was contacted immediately after the former governor was declared wanted. Apart from the EFCC, the service is also after him. He can’t hide forever. He should submit himself for investigation if he is indeed innocent.
“Nnamdi Kanu was out of the country for a while, thinking he was off the radar. But where is he today? We will also get Sylva,” said a DSS operative knowledgeable about the matter.
Join our WhatsApp community
Sylva may face trial in absentia
Similarly, an EFCC officer, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed that Sylva would be arraigned.
“He is still on our wanted list. We are looking for the right time to arraign him. However, investigations are ongoing. We are building our case against him and, when concluded, he will be charged,” the source said.
It is possible, and the law makes provision for it. However, we have not concluded that this is the option we will take. But legally, it is possible,” he added.
Speaking with a news correspondent, another EFCC operative urged the former governor to turn himself in.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
