Youths from Okpoama Kingdom in Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have dismissed rumors connecting Chief Timipre Sylva, the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, to the ongoing investigation of Engr. Simbi Wabote by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Engr. Wabote, who recently ended his term as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), is reportedly being looked into by the EFCC for alleged theft, money laundering, and for misusing $35 million intended for a modular refinery project with Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited. Mr. Akintoye Adeoye Akindele, the Managing Director of the company, has also been arrested regarding the alleged misuse of funds.
A social media report in Bayelsa suggested that the youth of Okpoama Kingdom accused Sylva, who is Wabote's kinsman, of involvement in these financial issues. The report claimed that Sylva told Wabote to manipulate NCDMB contracts to support his political goals, particularly his recent run for governor.
On Wednesday, Engr. Seiyefa Felix Ben-Basuo, the President of the Okpoama Kingdom Youth Movement (OKYM), firmly rejected this claim, calling the report “false and harmful.” He accused those behind it of trying to create conflict within the community.
Ben-Basuo urged the authors of the report to come forward and identify themselves instead of hiding behind the name of Okpoama youths, noting that their statements could lead to trouble in the kingdom.
He made it clear that the young people of Okpoama did not make such statements and disassociated the community from the allegations.
“I want to be clear that Okpoama youths have never voiced the views presented in that report, which lack any evidence,” the youth leader asserted.
Ben-Basuo expressed his hopes for the success of the refinery project, as it could greatly benefit the community.
“We genuinely want the refinery project to thrive because it can uplift our community. However, we will not tolerate falsehoods against Okpoama youths or our leaders, who have worked hard for our unity, peace, and progress,” he stated.
He also called for peace among the residents of Okpoama Kingdom. He warned against using the EFCC investigation to create divisions, stressing that such actions could threaten the progress the community has made.
Moreover, he urged stakeholders and the public to ignore unverified claims that seek to damage the reputation of Okpoama leaders, including Sylva, who has been a steady supporter of the area's growth.
