The Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Julius Bokoru, has debunked reports claiming that the former governor fled Nigeria amid allegations linking him to an alleged coup plot.
In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight on Recent False Reports About Sylva” and released on Tuesday, Bokoru described the rumours as “damaging falsehoods” spread by desperate political opponents.
According to him, although Sylva’s Abuja residence was recently raided by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters, the reason for the operation remains unclear. “During the said operation, considerable damage was inflicted on the property, and no explanation was offered by the officers involved,” Bokoru stated.
He confirmed that both Chief Sylva and his wife, Alanyingi Sylva, were out of the country when the raid occurred. “As of my last communication with His Excellency, he was in the United Kingdom for a routine medical check-up and scheduled to attend a professional conference in Malaysia thereafter,” he explained.
Bokoru dismissed the rumours suggesting Sylva’s involvement in any coup attempt, describing them as baseless. “Chief Sylva has no link—direct or indirect—with any alleged plot. He is a thoroughbred democrat whose entire political career has been built on respect for due process and the will of the people,” he said.
Highlighting Sylva’s loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Bokoru noted that the former governor had played a key role in consolidating APC’s support for the President in Bayelsa State.
He alleged that the false reports were the handiwork of political rivals threatened by Sylva’s continued relevance. “These rumours are the creation of desperate politicians obsessed with 2027, who see Sylva as an obstacle because his influence and credibility expose their selfish ambitions,” Bokoru concluded.
