Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, has publicly denied any involvement in an alleged coup plot, following a military raid on his Abuja residence.
The denial, issued in a statement by his media aide, followed swirling rumours in the country and labels the allegations as a politically motivated smear campaign.
The situation escalated when individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters raided Mr Sylva’s home, inflicting significant damage on the property.
According to his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Julius Bokoru, the security operatives provided no reason for their action.
In a detailed statement, Mr Bokoru confirmed the incident and the whereabouts of the former governor.
“It is true that the residence of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, was recently subjected to a raid by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters. During the said operation, considerable damage was inflicted upon the property,” he said.
He added that Mr Sylva and his wife were out of the country at the time, stating, “As at my last communication with His Excellency, he was engaged in a routine medical check-up in the United Kingdom, after which he was scheduled to proceed to Malaysia to attend a professional conference.”
The raid and Mr Sylva’s absence from the country fuelled rumours linking him to alleged treasonous activities, which the Defence Headquarters has since denied.
Mr Bokoru seized the opportunity to categorically clear his principal’s name, emphasising his long-standing democratic credentials.
“While the Defence Headquarters has already debunked the swirling rumours of a coup in Nigeria, it is important to state emphatically that Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, has no involvement whatsoever—either in planning or in logistics—with any such plot,” Mr Bokoru stated.
He portrayed Mr Sylva as a committed democrat, saying, “Chief Sylva is a thoroughbred democrat, whose entire political journey has been defined by his faith in democratic processes and institutions… Sylva has achieved every milestone through transparent, democratic engagement and the will of the people.”
The aide framed the allegations as the work of rivals intimidated by Mr Sylva’s political influence. He alleged that “desperate and narcissistic politicians,” already focused on the 2027 elections, were behind the rumours because they perceive Mr Sylva as a major obstacle.
“These rumours are nothing more than the handiwork of desperate and narcissistic politicians, already consumed by ambitions for 2027, who see Sylva as their last real obstacle—a man whose political presence and credibility continue to expose their dark, self-serving ambitions,” the statement read.
Mr Bokoru recalled his recent political actions. “His unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a matter of public record. It remains fresh in memory how he mobilized the entire Bayelsa APC structure to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting,” he said.
The statement concludes by reinforcing that the call for Mr Sylva to join the ruling party was driven by development, not personal ambition, and was anchored “not on partisan interest but on the collective aspiration of the people of Taraba for sustainable progress, infrastructural transformation, and inclusion in national affairs.”.
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