The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has sealed the Abuja residence of Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, sparking strong condemnation from his media aide, Julius Bokoru.
Bokoru, in a statement on Monday titled “Grave Breach of Decency: EFCC Attempted Raid and Defacement of Sylva’s Family Home,” accused the anti-graft agency of acting without a warrant and violating basic legal procedures in its handling of the property located in Maitama.
Sylva is currently in a dispute with the EFCC over an ongoing probe into $14.8 million earmarked for the Brass Refinery project in Bayelsa State. The agency has not released an official statement on the sealing.
Bokoru described the EFCC’s action as excessive, unlawful, and disrespectful to a man he called “a respected statesman.” He said what transpired at the residence amounted to “an affront to decency and a troubling assault on the very principles that underpin a civilised society.”
According to him, EFCC operatives attempted to gain access to the residence before spray-painting the walls in red with the inscription “EFCC — Keep Off”.
“Officers of the EFCC attempted yet another aggressive intrusion into his home and proceeded to spray-paint his walls in stark red, emblazoning the words ‘EFCC — Keep Off’ as though marking the property of a fugitive rather than the home of a respected statesman,” he said.
Bokoru claimed that the residence has been under intense pressure for weeks, with Sylva’s children, relatives, and domestic staff “effectively encircled” by EFCC activity.
He argued that the operation had the appearance of politically motivated overreach. “This latest incident bears all the hallmarks of local political rivalry being misinterpreted, or mischievously presented, as federal instruction. It is a dangerous muddling of partisan ambition with national authority,” he said.
He further cautioned that law enforcement agencies must not allow themselves to be dragged into political disputes. “Government agencies and parastatals must never allow themselves to become weapons in political contest,” he warned.
Bokoru emphasized Sylva’s long record of service to the nation and loyalty to successive administrations. “Chief Sylva has, for decades, served Nigeria with calmness, loyalty, and an almost disarming sense of patriotism… From his stewardship of Bayelsa State to his contributions at the federal level and his continued, unwavering support for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he has remained dignified even when confronted with provocation. His commitment to this nation has never faltered,” he said.
