Nigeria’s former oil minister, Timipre Sylva, has been issued an arrest warrant by the country’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over allegations of diverting $15 million in public funds intended for an oil refinery project. Sylva’s spokesperson, Julius Bokoru, has dismissed the charges as politically motivated, asserting that the refinery project was legitimate and fully documented. Bokoru revealed that Sylva is currently in the UK for a medical check-up and plans to engage with the EFCC upon his return. He criticized the agency for not contacting Sylva directly and accused them of using social media to ‘inflame public sentiment’ by issuing a ‘wanted notice.’ The EFCC’s notice follows a warrant issued by a High Court in Lagos last Thursday. Sylva, who served as petroleum minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, has a long political history, including a term as governor of Bayelsa state, a key oil-producing region. The case has sparked debate over the transparency of Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts and the potential politicization of such investigations.