The Enugu State Government has accused Olasijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, of defrauding the state of N5.76 billion allocated for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools.The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Ogundele wanted on Friday for alleged money laundering and diversion of funds.
In a statement issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, the government revealed that the contract, valued at N11.46 billion, was awarded to Sujimoto on July 2, 2024. The state paid N5.76 billion upfront, representing 50 percent of the contract sum, to expedite the project. However, Agbo alleged that Ogundele abandoned the sites, deploying inexperienced workers and delivering substandard work that failed to meet the project’s structural specifications.
“Rather than deliver quality projects for furnishing and equipping ahead of the September 2025 school resumption, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and the use of inexperienced workers and quack engineers,” Agbo stated. He added that none of the sites met the required structural integrity as outlined in the contract’s drawings.
The government claimed repeated attempts to engage Ogundele were unsuccessful, as he allegedly ignored calls, messages, and invitations to project briefings and failed to make himself available to law enforcement during inspections. A joint inspection by the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the EFCC on May 8 and 9, 2025, reportedly found “minimal to no significant work” done at the sites, with no excavation carried out one year after the contract was awarded.
Agbo further alleged that Ogundele received the payment through Sujimoto’s registered account but did not deploy the funds to the projects, suggesting “a premeditated intent to defraud the state ab initio.” The government has since reassigned the sites to new contractors to ensure completion before the 2025 school resumption.
In response, a video surfaced on Friday in which Ogundele denied the allegations, insisting he was innocent and ready to clear his name. However, the Enugu State Government dismissed his statements as “theatrics and crocodile tears,” vowing to recover the funds. “Enugu State Government is determined to recover every penny fraudulently obtained by Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele,” Agbo concluded.
