The Enugu State Government has successfully recovered N1.28 billion from Olasijibomi Ogundele, the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, through the intervention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The recovered funds were officially presented to state government officials by the EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, on Wednesday, in the form of bank cheques.

This recovery stems from a petition filed by the Enugu State Government against Mr. Ogundele, who was accused of absconding after receiving a substantial sum for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across the state. The government had previously claimed Mr. Ogundele was paid N5.7 billion for the project, prompting the EFCC to declare the entrepreneur wanted on allegations of diversion of funds and money laundering.

Following the declaration, a viral video surfaced showing Mr. Ogundele emotionally asserting his innocence, which the Enugu State Government later dismissed as 'theatrics and crocodile tears'.

During the handover, Mr. Ise emphasized that the recovery aligns with the EFCC’s mandate to trace, recover, and restitute public funds lost to economic and financial crimes. He specified that the recovered sum includes N1,234,350,000 and an additional N50,000,000, totaling N1,284,350,000 for the benefit of the Enugu State Government.

Mr. Ise commended the diligence of EFCC officers and assured that the investigation remains ongoing, with a commitment to trace and recover all misappropriated monies and prosecute any established criminality in line with the law. He reaffirmed the EFCC’s dedication to collaborating with all levels of government to safeguard public resources and stressed the non-negotiable nature of accountability in public contracts.

The Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), Professor Chidiebere Onyia, received the cheques, expressing profound gratitude to the EFCC for its professionalism, focus, and resilience. Professor Onyia highlighted that this recovery underscores the Enugu State Government’s commitment to transparency, traceability, and accountability.

He assured the public that the recovered funds would be reinvested into critical infrastructure projects to enhance the quality of life for the state's citizens. The SSG recounted that the government approached the EFCC when a 'misalignment' was observed between the intent to use taxpayers' money for development and the actual project delivery.

Further details provided by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, clarified the contract specifics. On July 2, 2024, the Enugu State Government awarded Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited a contract valued at N11,457,930,950.52 for the construction of 22 Smart Green School buildings, with a six-month completion deadline. A mobilization payment of N5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 percent of the contract sum, was made to expedite the projects.

However, the government alleged that instead of fulfilling contractual obligations, Mr. Ogundele employed inexperienced workers and 'quack engineers,' leading to substandard construction across all sites. Inspections confirmed that structural integrity requirements were unmet, and in some areas, basic excavation was not performed.

The situation escalated when Mr. Ogundele allegedly abandoned the sites and became unreachable, disregarding communications from the state government. A joint inspection by the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the EFCC on May 8 and 9, 2025, confirmed 'minimal to no significant work done' nearly a year after the contract award.

Investigations also reportedly unveiled a deliberate attempt to evade financial accountability: while Sujimoto presented a performance bond from Jaiz Bank, the contract funds were deposited into the company’s Zenith Bank account. This discrepancy, which prevented the state from holding Jaiz Bank liable, was cited as evidence of a 'premeditated intent to defraud the state ab initio.'

In response to the alleged breach, the Enugu State Government has repossessed all project sites and reassigned them to new contractors, who have been instructed to restart construction from scratch. The government states that 'tremendous progress' has since been made to ensure the Smart Green Schools initiative remains on track for the September school resumption.

The state government remains resolute in its determination to recover every penny fraudulently obtained and to hold all contractors accountable for projects awarded, with legal consequences for those who fail to deliver value for public funds.