The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has urged former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva to make himself available for questioning over an alleged $14.86m fraud case.
The EFCC's call came after the anti-graft agency declared the former governor wanted in connection with allegations involving the disputed funds.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the development while responding to allegations made by Sylva concerning the conduct of the commission.
Oyewale said Sylva had been declared wanted and should therefore make himself available to the agency for questioning.
The development comes shortly after Sylva resigned from the All Progressives Congress and accused the ruling party and its government of disappointing Nigerians.
Sylva also alleged that the EFCC had become more of an organ of the APC than an independent institution of the Nigerian state.
His criticism of the commission came amid the escalating investigation into the alleged financial offences for which he has been declared wanted.
The EFCC, however, has maintained that the former governor should cooperate with its investigation rather than make accusations against the agency.
The $14.86m allegation is linked to funds reportedly injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a refinery.
According to previous reports, the EFCC declared Sylva wanted over allegations of conspiracy and dishonest conversion involving $14,859,257 from the project funds.
The investigation has continued for months, with the former governor remaining outside Nigeria while the commission pursues the matter.
Earlier reports indicated that Sylva had not returned to Nigeria several months after being declared wanted by the EFCC.
The anti-graft agency had also reportedly intensified efforts to locate him, with international law-enforcement cooperation being explored as part of the process.
EFCC officials have repeatedly urged Sylva to return and submit himself for investigation, arguing that his status as a former governor does not exempt him from questioning.
The latest invitation therefore represents another attempt by the commission to bring the former governor before investigators as the case develops.
Sylva's absence has also generated speculation about whether the EFCC could eventually proceed with legal action without first taking him into custody.
A previous EFCC source told PUNCH that the commission was building its case and could potentially arraign the former governor in absentia if the legal requirements were satisfied.
However, such a step would depend on the circumstances of the case and the applicable legal procedures.
Sylva has previously rejected allegations linking him to wrongdoing, with his representatives describing some of the claims surrounding him as politically motivated.
His recent resignation from the APC has now added a political dimension to the ongoing controversy.
The former governor announced his departure from the ruling party on August 31, saying he could no longer remain within a political organisation he considered incapable of meeting the expectations of Nigerians.
His resignation has heightened attention around his relationship with the Federal Government and the timing of the EFCC investigation.
For the anti-graft agency, however, the case remains a financial investigation that should be handled independently of political developments.
The EFCC has increasingly faced criticism from politicians and other public figures who accuse the commission of selective enforcement, allegations the agency has consistently rejected.
The latest dispute involving Sylva is therefore likely to fuel another debate over the independence of Nigeria's anti-corruption institutions.
The commission will now be expected to substantiate the allegations against the former governor through evidence and follow the appropriate legal process.
Sylva, on his part, will have the opportunity to respond to the allegations and challenge any evidence presented against him through the courts.
It is important to note that the allegations against the former governor have not been established as guilt, and Sylva remains entitled to the presumption of innocence unless convicted by a competent court.
The case could nevertheless become increasingly significant as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general election and political tensions continue to rise.
Sylva's past political influence in Bayelsa and his former role as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources make the development particularly notable within the country's political landscape.
The dispute also comes at a time when the Federal Government is under pressure to demonstrate that anti-corruption agencies can investigate politically exposed persons without fear or favour.
For now, the EFCC's message is direct: Sylva, who has been declared wanted, should make himself available to investigators.
The next stage of the matter will depend largely on whether the former governor returns to Nigeria to face questioning and how the commission proceeds with its investigation.