Former Governor of Bayelsa State and a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has reportedly fled Nigeria amid mounting allegations linking him to a foiled military coup plot allegedly aimed at toppling the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Truth Live News gathered from a reliable source that Sylva escaped through the creeks of the Niger Delta upon learning that the coup plan had been uncovered by intelligence operatives. He is believed to have fled to Senegal, from where he intends to move into hiding in Argentina, a South American country where he reportedly has business interests.
According to insider reports, the former minister had been lobbying for an ambassadorial posting to Argentina before the allegations surfaced. However, those plans have now been overtaken by the dramatic turn of events surrounding the alleged coup conspiracy.
Highly placed security sources disclosed that one of the first military officers apprehended in connection with the coup confessed during interrogation that Sylva was the principal financier and mastermind of the operation. Investigations have since traced about ₦46 billion to an account allegedly linked to the former minister, which security agencies believe was intended to bankroll the plot.
In a coordinated operation, officials of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) reportedly raided Sylva’s Abuja residence, where his younger brother, identified as Paga Sylva, was arrested for questioning. This came shortly after a similar raid on the former minister’s Bayelsa home, where investigators allegedly discovered incriminating documents and large sums of cash in various foreign currencies.
Security operatives say the ongoing probe is part of a broader crackdown on a network of financiers, including politicians and businessmen, suspected of backing the alleged coup plan.
As of press time, there has been no official statement from Timipre Sylva or his aides regarding the allegations, while federal authorities have maintained silence on the sensitive matter.
However, intelligence insiders confirmed that the search for the ex-minister continues, with international security agencies expected to be alerted should he attempt to enter Argentina or any other South American country.