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The Enugu State Government has leveled a ₦5.76 billion fraud allegation against Olasijibomi Ogundele, chief executive of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, accusing him of abandoning a flagship contract to build 22 Smart Green Schools across the state.
The controversy deepened after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Ogundele wanted over alleged money laundering and diversion of funds. In a video statement released online, the developer — visibly shaken and in tears — rejected the accusations, saying he had committed no crime and was “ready to clear [his] name.” He insisted the dispute arose directly from his deal with the Enugu State Government.
On Friday, Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, outlined the government’s case. He said the contract, awarded on July 2, 2024, carried a total value of ₦11.45 billion. According to him, the state advanced ₦5.76 billion — half of the contract sum — to accelerate the rollout across all project sites.
Instead of delivering, Agbo alleged, the contractor resorted to substandard work. “Rather than play to the rules of the contract to deliver quality projects for furnishing and equipping ahead of September 2025 school resumption, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and the use of inexperienced workers and quack engineers,” he said, adding that none of the structures inspected met the required integrity standards.
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Repeated attempts to engage the developer, he continued, had failed. Ogundele allegedly ignored calls, messages, and invitations to project briefings organized for contractors. “He practically abandoned the sites,” Agbo said, leaving the state with “no other choice” than to petition the EFCC.
A joint inspection by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and EFCC officials between May 8 and 9, 2025, confirmed what Agbo called “minimal to no significant work” at the locations, almost a year after the award.
The commissioner also raised questions about financial irregularities, noting that while Ogundele presented a Jaiz Bank bond to secure the contract, payments were routed through Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited’s account without being applied to the projects. “This clearly shows a premeditated intent to defraud the state ab initio,” Agbo said.
He disclosed that the project sites had since been reassigned to new contractors to ensure completion before the next academic session.
Rejecting Ogundele’s public defense, the government urged citizens to ignore what it described as theatrics. “Nigerians should disregard his crocodile tears,” Agbo declared. “The Enugu State Government is determined to recover every kobo of Ndi Enugu fraudulently obtained.”
