Timi Frank raises alarm over alleged threats to his life by former minister, writes police IG

Timi Frank, a former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed concerns about his personal safety.

In a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, Frank claimed that a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, “has made active plans to hunt him down wherever he is.”

Frank stated that he has reported the matter to the police through a petition to the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetotkun, and requested an investigation into the alleged threats made against him.

Frank’s petition to the IGP, dated 27th June 2023 and titled ‘Incessant threats to life of Comrade Timi Frank.’ was signed by his Abuja-based counsel, Edward Omaga.

The petition addressed a series of allegations against Sylva, including identity theft, impersonation, forgery of academic certificates, and providing false evidence. Frank emphasized that the threats emerged following his exposure of the irregularities in Sylva’s academic credentials.

Frank’s distress call to his legal team highlighted Sylva’s alleged plans to track him down and harm him, regardless of his location within or outside Nigeria. Citing information obtained from reliable sources, Frank indicated that Sylva was reportedly funding a dangerous squad to monitor him (Frank) at his residences in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, and Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, with the aim of eliminating him. Frank’s legal team urged the police to treat the matter seriously, emphasizing Sylva’s associations with cultists and deadly squads known to carry out his orders.

The petition reads in part: “We write to report that while investigation activities are ongoing, Chief Timipre Sylva has resorted to threatening the life of our client, Comrade Timi Frank, for daring to blow the whistle regarding the anomalies contained in his academic certificates.

“Our client informed us through a distress call this morning that the former Minister of Petroleum Resources who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer in Bayelsa State Governorship Election coming up 14th November, 2023, has made active plans to hunt him down wherever he is within or outside Nigeria.

“It is obvious that Chief Timipre Sylva has revealed these sinister plans to several of his close aides and associates, some of who have called our client under condition of anonymity to take caution.

“According to the reliable information gathered by our client, Chief Timipre Sylva is already funding a deadly squad to monitor our client in his residences in Accra and Dubai with the sole aim of eliminating him.”

Frank’s lawyer urged the IGP to take note of the situation and hold Sylva accountable if any harm comes to his client. The lawyer stressed that exposing corrupt and fraudulent activities of public officers should not be considered an offense in a democratic country like Nigeria. He called on the police to take urgent action to protect Frank’s life and uphold their statutory duties.

In conclusion, Frank’s appeal to the IGP sought to assure both local and international observers that criminality would no longer thrive in Nigeria, expressing confidence in the competence and integrity of the police force.

The lawyer insisted that never in the history of Nigeria as a democratic country has it become an offence for a patriotic citizen such as Timi Frank to expose corrupt and fraudulent activities of serving or retired public officers.

“We pray that you take urgent actions capable of protecting the life of our client in line with your statutory duties under Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020.

“We are confident that as a man of competence and integrity you will do everything possible to assure local and international observers that criminality will no longer thrive in Nigeria,” the lawyer added.

See the letter below: