The Enugu State Government has accused the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele, of defrauding the state of N5.7 billion meant for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across the state.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson of Governor Peter Mbah.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier declared Ogundele wanted for alleged diversion of funds and money laundering. Hours later, a video surfaced online showing the developer in tears, denying the allegations.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive,” Ogundele said, insisting that the project was hampered by inflation and security challenges. He cited rising costs, including an increase in the price of cement from N7,000 to N10,000 per bag, and attacks on his workers, as reasons for the stalled work.
The state government, however, accused Ogundele of abandoning the projects after receiving 50 per cent of the contract sum. According to the statement, while the developer presented a bond from Jaiz Bank to secure the contract, he directed payment into Sujimoto’s Zenith Bank account registered with the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure. This, it added, made it impossible for the state to hold Jaiz Bank accountable.
“The Enugu State Government has accused the CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, of defrauding the state of nearly N6bn, noting that Ogundele vanished into thin air after he was paid the said sum for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in different parts of the state,” the statement read.
It further alleged that investigations revealed minimal progress at most of the designated school sites, with some lacking even proper excavation or structural compliance. A joint inspection team from the Ministry of Works and the EFCC reportedly visited the locations on May 8 and 9, 2025, confirming the absence of substantial work.
The Smart Green Schools initiative was intended to deliver modern learning facilities within six months, in time for the September 2025 school resumption.
Following Ogundele’s alleged failure to execute the contract, the state said it had reassigned the projects to new contractors to ensure the programme remains on track. It also vowed to recover every naira purportedly misappropriated.
