Timipre Sylva’s Aide Confirms Military Raid On Abuja, Bayelsa Homes
Chief Julius Bokoru, media aide to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has confirmed that military operatives recently raided the former minister’s residences in Abuja and Bayelsa.
Bokoru denied any involvement by Sylva in an alleged coup and explained that the former governor and his wife were abroad at the time of the raid.
In a statement, Bokoru said some politicians were “taking their desperation to a sickening level” due to Sylva’s “intimidating political presence and credibility.” He described the former governor as “an unrepentant and thoroughbred democrat” who has consistently supported President Bola Tinubu and his administration.
Bokoru recalled Sylva’s recent mobilisation of the entire All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in Bayelsa to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting.
He confirmed that the security operatives did not provide any reason for the raid.
Explaining Sylva’s absence, Bokoru said the former minister was in the United Kingdom for routine medical checks and would soon travel to Malaysia to attend a professional conference.
Bokoru said, “In the past forty-eight hours, I have been inundated with calls from members of the press, political associates, and concerned individuals regarding a circulating report alleging that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, has ‘fled’ the country in connection with certain purported matters.
“For the avoidance of doubt, 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. Considerable damage was inflicted upon the property.
“Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid. To the best of my knowledge, the officers involved did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions.
“It is important to state unequivocally that His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, CON, and his esteemed wife, Her Excellency, Alanyingi Sylva, were both outside the country at the time of the incident. 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 for a professional conference.
“The next development I was made aware of, regrettably, were reports circulating across social media concerning the raid on his residence. While the Defence Headquarters has debunked rumours of a coup, it is important to state emphatically that Chief Timipre Sylva has no involvement whatsoever, either in planning or logistics with any such plot.
“Chief Sylva is a thoroughbred democrat, whose political journey—from the Old Rivers State House of Assembly in the 1990s to his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State—has been defined by faith in democratic processes.
“His unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a matter of public record. He mobilised the entire Bayelsa APC structure to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting.
“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.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
