The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five alleged associates of former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, for allegedly concealing his whereabouts after he was implicated as a financier of an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu through a coup d’état.
Sylva, who also served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, is said to have fled the country before details of the alleged coup plot became public. He has since been declared wanted by the Federal Government, which has also moved to confiscate some of his identified properties.
The five defendants arraigned before the court are Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha, and Ayebaifife Suobite. They pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge before Justice Peter Lifu.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly became accessories to Sylva’s alleged offence by concealing his whereabouts on April 28, an act said to be contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Following their plea, prosecution counsel Emmanuel Orubor asked the court to remand the defendants and fix a date for trial so that witnesses could be called to testify.
Counsel to the defendants, however, applied for bail, informing the court that their clients had remained in DSS custody since October 25, 2025, and urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms.
In his ruling, Justice Peter Lifu held that the charges were bailable offences and granted each defendant bail in the sum of five million naira, with two sureties in like sum.
The court directed that each surety must swear to an affidavit of means, provide evidence of three years’ tax payment, show proof of a visible means of livelihood, and submit recent passport photographs. The court also ordered that the identities of the sureties be verified by the court registrar.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants were ordered to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre.
The matter has been adjourned until July 22 for the commencement of trial.
