The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a court order for the detention of Sijibomi Ogundele, the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited. Ogundele, who was previously declared wanted by the anti-graft agency for alleged money laundering, is currently being investigated over an alleged failure to deliver 22 Smart Green School projects in Enugu State, despite his company reportedly receiving over N5 billion from the state government for the contract.

Sources at the EFCC confirmed that the remand order was obtained from a Magistrate Court to allow the commission to complete its investigation. Ogundele is expected to explain how he allegedly spent N5.7 billion without executing the contract or face the demand to refund the money. As part of the ongoing probe, his personal and company accounts had earlier been frozen, and his international passport seized to restrict movement. The EFCC has reportedly gathered evidence of the sum paid to Ogundele, the terms of the contract, and documents showing his failure to comply with contractual obligations. The freezing of accounts is a precautionary measure, should the investigation lead to a stage where the courts are approached for forfeiture of the funds.

In response to the EFCC's action, Ogundele took to X (formerly Twitter) to blame the Enugu State Government, claiming the contract was underpriced and citing inflation as a reason for the delay. However, the Enugu State Government vehemently denied these claims, alleging that Ogundele disappeared after collecting N5.7 billion, representing 50 percent of the contract sum, as a mobilization fee to deliver the 22 Smart Green Schools within six months, by February 2025. The state government further accused Ogundele of resorting to shoddy jobs, using inexperienced workers and quack engineers, and failing to ensure that the minimal work done on the sites met the specified structural integrity. Efforts by the government to engage him in discussions about the quality and progress of work proved abortive, as he allegedly refused to attend periodic project briefings or respond to calls and messages, effectively abandoning the sites.

A joint team of officials from the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and EFCC operatives visited the 22 project sites on May 8 and 9, 2025. Their findings confirmed that minimal to no significant work had been done at the sites, a full year after the contract award. Photographs accompanying the Enugu State government's response showed most sites were only at the foundation and DPC (damp-proof course) levels, with only a few reaching the block work stage. Some instances of fraudulent non-excavation for blocks were also noted. Ogundele has reportedly not shown up at the sites or made himself available to either the state government or law enforcement agencies since the allegations surfaced.

Conversely, other contractors awarded similar Smart Green School projects in Enugu State have demonstrated capacity and delivered quality jobs on schedule. For instance, Chief Ikeje Asogwa of Intasog handled 12 projects, while Surv. Ugo Chime of Testimony Enterprises, Chinedu Nwobodo (Petit) of Albond Limited, and Chief Charles Mba of CDV Properties and Development Limited each handled 10 projects. Benneth Nwatu, MD/CEO of Ever Progressive Integrated Resources Venture, testified that his company completed multiple projects, including those at Ugwuomu Nike, Queens School, and Inyi in Oji River, and is nearing completion on others at Ekulu Girls and Iva Valley. Given the abandonment, the Enugu State Government has since retaken the sites and re-assigned them to new firms, which now face the task of restarting construction. Ogundele is expected to interface with top officials of the Enugu State Government in the coming week as investigations into the case continue.