….I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive – Sujimoto CEO
ENUGU — The Enugu State Government has accused the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, of defrauding the state of nearly ₦6 billion meant for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, the government alleged that Ogundele abandoned the projects after receiving 50 percent of the contract sum and failed to deliver quality work at the sites.
According to the government, on July 2, 2024, Sujimoto was awarded a contract worth ₦11.45 billion for the construction of 22 Smart Schools with a six-month completion timeline. The state said it released ₦5.76 billion—representing 50 percent of the total contract sum—to fast-track the projects.
“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. None of his sites met the structural integrity of the projects as specified in the structural drawing. Worse still, he vanished into thin air with the money,” the statement read.
The government added that repeated efforts to reach Ogundele failed, leading to a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A joint inspection by EFCC operatives and state officials in May 2025 reportedly revealed minimal progress, with many sites left at foundation level.
Agbo further alleged that while Ogundele presented a Jaiz Bank bond to secure the contract, he received payments through Sujimoto’s another bank account, thereby preventing the government from holding Jaiz Bank accountable. He described this as “a premeditated intent to defraud the state.”
The government has since reassigned the projects to new contractors and pledged that the schools will be delivered by September 2025. “Nigerians should therefore disregard his theatrics and crocodile tears. Enugu State Government will surely recover every penny of Ndi Enugu fraudulently obtained by Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele,” the statement concluded.
Ogundele’s reaction
Meanwhile, Ogundele, in an emotional video shared online, denied the fraud allegations and vowed to clear his name before the EFCC.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is a contract between my company and Enugu State Government. In the middle of the project, the governor said he wanted to build a city and the tallest building in Nigeria. Now they declared me wanted and destroyed my company that I built. I am going to the EFCC office to clear my name,” he said, blaming inflation and project delays for the contract breakdown.
The EFCC has since declared Ogundele wanted. In a notice signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the commission urged the public to provide information about his whereabouts.
The notice read in part: “Olasijibomi Ogundele of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited is wanted by the EFCC in an alleged case of diversion of funds and money laundering. Anybody with useful information should please contact the Commission or the nearest police station.”
While the EFCC did not disclose the exact amount involved, the declaration confirmed that the businessman is under investigation for major financial crimes.
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