The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured a court order for the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, who is being investigated by the Commission over failure to deliver 22 Smart Green School projects in Enugu State after his company was paid over N5 billion by the state government.
Sources at the EFCC said the remand order was obtained from the Commission as Ogundele would have to explain how he spent the N5.7 billion without executing the contract.
There were indications yesterday that the EFCC might seek a court order to seize the funds in Ogundele’s personal and company’s accounts, which had earlier been frozen, the Enugu funds were allegedly diverted to his private accounts and to Sujimoto estate projects in Lagos.
An EFCC source said the remand order was secured from a magistrate court to detain him until the anti-graft agency was able to complete investigation. It is recalled that both the personal accounts of Ogundele and Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, had earlier been frozen in addition to seizing his international passport.
The source said there is proven evidence of the said sum paid to Ogundele, adding that EFCC was equally in possession of the terms of the contract and the documents showing his failure to comply with the contractual obligation.
“He is expected to explain how he spent the N5.7 billion or refund the money. His case looks straightforward,” he said.
The source said Ogundele’s accounts were frozen in case they get to a stage where they would approach the courts for forfeiture of the funds therein.
He said as from next week, the building contractor will interface with top officials of Enugu State Government on the award of the 22 Smart Green Schools to Sujimoto.
The EFCC had declared Ogundele wanted penultimate Friday for alleged money laundering.
Ogundele immediately went on X to blame the Enugu State Government for the EFCC action, saying the contract was underpriced, also citing inflation.
Enugu State responded moments later, alleging that the suspect disappeared after collecting N5.7 billion as 50 per cent mobilization fee to deliver 22 Smart Green Schools in six months, being February 2025.
“The Enugu State Government paid the sum of N5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, in order to fast-track the projects at all the sites.
“Rather than play to the rules of the contract, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and the use of inexperienced workers and quack engineers.
“None of his sites little jobs done on the sites met the structural integrity of the projects as specified in the structural drawing.
“Worse still, he vanished into thin air with the money. All efforts made by the government to get him to a roundtable to discuss the quality and progress of work proved abortive.
“He equally refused to attend the periodic projects briefing organised by the state government for all contractors or take numerous calls and messages put across to him.
“In fact, he practically abandoned the sites, leaving the Enugu State Government with no other choice but to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the funds paid to him.
“A joint team of officers of the Enugu State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the EFCC visited the 22 sites to evaluate the progress of work on May 8 and 9, 2025, where it was clearly established that there had been minimal to no significant work done at the said sites one year after the contract award.
“In some cases, he fraudulently did not do excavation for all the blocks in site.
“It is also on record that he has not shown up at the sites or made himself available to either the state government or the law enforcement agencies
“The government has since retaken and handed over the sites to new firms, which have no choice but to start the construction afresh.
“It is equally noteworthy that there were other firms awarded multiple number of Smart Green School projects and they are delivering quality jobs on target.”
The Enugu State Government’s statement was accompanied with pictures of the project sites as abandoned by Sujimoto, which were taken by the joint team of officials of the state and operatives of the EFCC during the May 8 and 9 site visits, showing that the project sites were mostly at the levels of foundation and DPC, with a few at the stage of block work.
Also, findings showed that many other contractors had equally completed multiples projects. Chief Ikeje Asogwa of Intasog handled 12, while, Surv. Ugo Chime of Testimony Enterprises handled, Chinedu Nwobodo (Petit) of Albond Limited, and Chief Charles Mba of CDV Properties and Development Limited, among others, handled 10 Smart Green School projects each.
MD/CEO of Ever Progressive Integrated Resources Venture, Benneth Nwatu, said, “Our company has completed multiple projects here. For example, we handled the Smart Green School at Ugwuomu Nike, the one at Queens School, and another one at Inyi in Oji River.
“One thing about the governor is that he is somebody who is happy when somebody shows capacity. When we completed the project at Queens School within six months, the government graciously awarded us more jobs. The ones we are handling at Ekulu Girls and Iva Valley are also almost completed,” he stated.
He equally commended the governor for the upward review of the contract sum by the state when inflation bit hard to ensure that none of the projects failed.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that Sujimoto CEO will from next week interface with top officials of Enugu State Government on the award of contract for 22 Smart Green Schools by the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
