By Abiola Olawale
A former Bayelsa State Governor and immediate past Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is reportedly on the run following a dramatic military raid on his Abuja residence.
According to media reports emerging on Wednesday, the operation, executed by a “special military team,” is allegedly linked to a major investigation by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) into a coup plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
An insider source quoted by media reports revealed that the military team has already arrested the Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South-South region.
It was reported that the MD was arrested for allegedly transferring a substantial sum of money to Sylva, who was identified as one of the financiers of the alleged plot to forcibly overthrow the government.
It was also gathered that the military team reportedly ransacked Sylva’s home on Saturday, and arrested his younger brother, Paga, who is his Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs.
The source said: “The MD (name withheld) transferred a huge sum of money to Sylva. Investigators are working on the theory that the fund transfer was connected to the coup. He is presently answering questions about what the money was meant for.
“Sylva’s Abuja home was raided on Saturday, but he wasn’t around. His younger brother, Paga, who is the SA, Domestic, and the driver, was arrested. Investigators believe Sylva allegedly funded the coup plot. Sylva was abroad and was preparing to leave for Nigeria when he got wind of the arrest of the coup leaders. So, he stayed back.”
While the Defence Headquarters and the Army have maintained a stony silence, refusing to confirm or deny the alleged raid, media reports suggest Sylva may have fled the country.
Reports indicate he may have left Nigeria for Senegal with a view to moving to a South American country, Argentina.
Recall that the reports of an alleged coup plot to overthrow Tinubu have intensified public speculation, particularly since the detention of about 16 senior military officers amid reports of the alleged coup plot.
However, the Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen Tukur Gusau, in a statement on October 4, said that 16 officers were detained for breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
“Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations,” the statement partly read.
