The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today arrested
the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva following his
refusal to honour invitations to answer charges over allegations of
fraud running into billions of Naira.
The offence is said to have been committed while he served as the governor of the state.
He was picked up at his No. 3, Niger Street, Maitama, Abuja home.
ProgressWatch learnt that the EFCC operatives stormed the mansion
around 10.00 am and were told by Sylva’s security men that the man was
not in town and that they should come back upon his return.
However, the operatives smelling a rat, decided to conduct a search
on the house since they were already armed with a search warrant signed
by the court.
Apart from discovering the embattled governor in one of the hideouts
in the mansion, the search also led to the recovery of what the
operatives described as ‘very vital documents’ that would assist in the
his prosecution.
“Ironically, the ex-governor, who was said to be out of town, was
later found hiding in a dingy corner in the upper chamber of his
expansive mansion.
“He was immediately whisked away and is currently being interrogated
at the Abuja headquarters of the anti- graft agency,” a source said.
The spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of
the former governor, who fell out with President Goodluck Jonathan over
political differences in 2011.
He is being grilled in connection with fresh evidence linking him
with a bouquet of fraudulent transactions that borders on money
laundering. Part of the new evidence includes a number of eye-popping
real estate acquisitions in Abuja.
Nigeria Progress Watch
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