$35m Bayelsa Refinery: Sylva May Face EFCC
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*Ijaw Leaders Move to Save ex-NCDMB boss
A former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, may soon be a guest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) again, this time in connection with the about $35 million allegation in respect of the Atlantic Refinery project in Bayelsa State.
In 2013, Sylva had faced the anti-graft agency when no fewer than 48 choice property suspected to have belonged to him were confiscated. But the property were later returned to him sometime in 2016, after a running legal battle with the commission.
This time, Sylva’s name is believed to have been mentioned as investigations continue on the refinery project. The $35m was paid for the project by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and till date, not much had been done, leading to the arrest of the then executive secretary, Mr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, and the Managing Director of Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited, Mr. Akintoye Adeoye Akindele.
Wabote had earlier honoured the EFCC invitation on the matter and was released same day. But he was taken back and kept in custody last week and has been there since then.
The counterpart fund released by the NCDMB to the Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited was meant to build a refinery, jetty, gas plant, power plant, data center, and a tank farm in Sylva’s community, Okpoama, in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
This happened during the tenure of Sylva as minister of state for petroleum. Wabote and Akindele are said to have given useful statements to the commission. The source said with information so far gathered, it was time to get Sylva to assist the EFCC in its investigations.
This is coming even as some Ijaw leaders are said to have taken steps to ensure the release of Wabote from the EFCC custody. But as at Tuesday, there was no indication that the former NCDMB boss may regain freedom anytime soon.
Our correspondent made efforts to reach Sylva’s media aide, Mr Julius Bokorou, but he did not answer calls made to his phone.
