By Muhammad Mamman
The Enugu State Government has hit back at claims by Olasijibomi Ogundele, Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, after he was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged fraud and money laundering.
Ogundele, in an emotional video, denied wrongdoing, insisting he was innocent and ready to clear his name. He alleged that the controversy stemmed from his contract with the state government.
However, speaking on Friday, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, accused Ogundele of abandoning a ₦11.4 billion contract awarded on 2 July 2024 for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools.
According to Agbo, the state paid Sujimoto ₦5.76 billion — half of the total contract sum — to fast-track the projects. Yet, a joint inspection by the Ministry of Works and the EFCC in May 2025 reportedly showed “minimal to no significant work done” nearly a year later.
The commissioner alleged that instead of delivering on the contract, Ogundele engaged unqualified workers, produced substandard structures, and repeatedly ignored government calls for project briefings. “He practically abandoned the sites,” Agbo stated, “leaving the government no choice but to petition the EFCC to recover public funds.”
He further claimed that Ogundele secured the contract with a bond from Jaiz Bank but channelled payments into Sujimoto’s account “without deploying the funds to the projects,” describing it as “a premeditated attempt to defraud the state.”
Agbo confirmed that the government has reassigned the projects to new contractors to ensure the Smart Green Schools initiative is completed before the 2025 academic year.
Dismissing Ogundele’s teary defence, the commissioner concluded: “Nigerians should disregard his theatrics and crocodile tears. The Enugu State Government is resolute and will recover every kobo of Ndi Enugu’s money fraudulently taken by Mr Ogundele.”
