The Enugu State government has accused Olasijibomi Ogundele, chief executive officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, of defrauding the state of ₦5.7 billion.
Officials said the money was part of a ₦11.4 billion contract to build 22 smart green schools. The project was expected to be completed in six months, but one year later, the schools remain unfinished.
On Friday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Ogundele wanted for alleged diversion of funds and money laundering. Hours later, a video surfaced online. In it, Ogundele appeared in tears, insisting he was innocent.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive,” he said. He blamed rising inflation and insecurity for the stalled work, noting that cement prices jumped from ₦7,000 to ₦10,000 per bag. He also claimed his workers had suffered attacks on the project sites.
Government Rejects ‘Crocodile Tears’
Enugu officials dismissed his viral video. Malachy Agbo, Commissioner for Information, described it as “theatrics and crocodile tears.”
He alleged that Ogundele executed a “premeditated fraud” by using a Jaiz Bank bond to secure the contract, but received payment through a Zenith Bank account, leaving Jaiz free of liability.
According to Agbo, the state released ₦5.7 billion upfront to fast-track the project, but Ogundele instead engaged “shoddy jobs, inexperienced workers, and quack engineers.”
“None of his sites met the structural integrity specified in the drawings,” the commissioner stated. “Worse still, he vanished into thin air with the money.”
Government officials said Ogundele abandoned the sites, ignored official invitations, and failed to attend project briefings.
A joint inspection by the EFCC and Enugu State officials in May 2025 reportedly found “minimal to no significant work” done. Some schools were not even excavated.
The government has since reassigned the projects to new contractors. “The Enugu State government will surely recover every penny of Ndi Enugu obtained by Olasijibomi Ogundele,” Agbo said.
Ogundele’s Defense vs. The State’s Position
Ogundele maintains that the economic reality and security concerns disrupted his work. He insists he is committed to completing the schools if given more time.
But the state insists that one year after the award, with schools still abandoned, the excuses cannot stand. The EFCC has urged Nigerians with information on Ogundele’s whereabouts to contact the nearest office.
Mr. Ogundele, on Monday, surrendered himself to the EFCC and was subsequently detained for questioning over the alleged fraud.
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