The Enugu State Government has accused Olasijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, of defrauding the state of N5.7 billion paid for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across Enugu.
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The allegation was disclosed in a statement by the spokesperson of Governor Peter Mbah on Friday, following the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) earlier declaration of Ogundele as wanted for alleged diversion of funds and money laundering.
According to the government, Ogundele disappeared after receiving 50% of the contract sum, leaving most school projects incomplete. The state alleged that Ogundele diverted payments to Sujimoto’s Zenith Bank account, instead of the bond issued by Jaiz Bank intended to secure the contract, making it impossible to hold the bank liable.
“The Enugu State Government has accused the CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, of defrauding the state of nearly N6bn. Ogundele vanished after receiving payment for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in different parts of the state,” part of the statement read.
The projects, intended to be completed within six months in time for the September 2025 school resumption, reportedly showed minimal to no progress, with many sites lacking proper excavation and structural compliance. Efforts by the government to engage Ogundele, including calls and meetings, reportedly failed.
The government described Ogundele’s actions as premeditated fraud, noting that the misdirection of funds and abandonment of project sites demonstrated intent from the outset. A joint inspection by officials from the Enugu Ministry of Works and the EFCC on May 8 and 9, 2025, confirmed the lack of substantial progress.
Enugu State has reassigned the sites to new contractors to restart construction and pledged to recover every naira allegedly misappropriated by Ogundele, affirming its commitment to the Smart Green Schools initiative.
In response, Ogundele released a video denying wrongdoing, attributing project delays to economic and operational challenges, including rising material costs, inflation, foreign exchange volatility, manpower shortages, logistical issues, and security concerns. He also stated that he deployed 42 engineers, faced difficulties with machinery, and managed projects outside his company’s prior experience.
Ogundele insisted that all project expenditures were transparent, disputes with the state government prompted legal action, and he remains committed to completing the work.
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