ABUJA – In a dramatic turn of events, former Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva has fled Nigeria for Senegal and is allegedly planning to seek refuge in Argentina, following explosive revelations of his alleged involvement in a plot to orchestrate a military coup against the government of President Bola Tinubu, The Chronicle can exclusively report.
According to highly-placed security sources, Sylva made his escape through the Niger Delta creeks after being tipped off that the meticulously planned operation had been compromised and a high-level investigation was closing in on him.
“The moment he got wind that the plot had leaked, he vanished. His exit through the creeks was swift and calculated, avoiding all conventional travel routes,” a top-level security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, revealed.
The investigation, led by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), took a decisive turn when the first senior military officer arrested in connection with the plot allegedly named Sylva as the mastermind and chief financier. “The officer did not hesitate to point to Sylva as the arrowhead. The financial trail is a key part of our evidence,” the source added.
A separate financial intelligence source confirmed that a staggering sum of approximately N46 billion has been traced to an account allegedly linked to the former Minister, funds which are believed to have been earmarked to bankroll the destabilisation operation.
The net began to tighten earlier this week when operatives from the DIA raided Sylva’s Abuja residence, apprehending his brother, Paga Sylva, during the operation. This followed an earlier raid on his private residence in Bayelsa State, where security forces allegedly recovered significant amounts of cash in various foreign currencies and other incriminating documents.
It is further alleged that Sylva, who has substantial business interests in both Senegal and Argentina, had been actively lobbying for an ambassadorial posting to Argentina, a move that sources now suggest may have been a strategic effort to secure a diplomatic cover and a safe base overseas.
All efforts to reach Timipre Sylva or his representatives for comment have been unsuccessful. The Defence Intelligence Agency has declined to issue an official statement, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
