The Enugu State Government has accused real estate mogul Olasijibomi “Sujimoto” Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, of defrauding the state of ₦5.76 billion meant for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across the state.
This comes after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Ogundele wanted on Friday over alleged money laundering and diversion of funds.
Government’s Allegations
According to a statement signed by Chinedu Agbo, the state alleged that Sujimoto received 50% of the contract sum upfront to accelerate the projects but failed to deliver.
“The Enugu State Government paid ₦5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, in order to fast-track the projects at all the sites. Instead of following the rules of the contract, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs, using inexperienced workers and quack engineers. None of the sites met the required structural integrity,” Agbo said.
The state further alleged that Ogundele:
-
Abandoned multiple project sites with little to no visible work done.
-
Ignored invitations, calls, and contractor briefings.
-
Refused to cooperate with inspectors and law enforcement agencies.
A joint inspection by the Ministry of Works and the EFCC in May 2025 allegedly confirmed “minimal to no significant work done” one year after the contract award.
The government added that although Sujimoto presented a Jaiz Bank bond, payment was made into his company’s account without being deployed to the projects, describing it as evidence of premeditated fraud.
As a result, the government has reassigned the sites to new contractors to ensure completion before the September 2025 school resumption.
Sujimoto’s Response
In a video statement, Ogundele insisted he is not a criminal and described the matter as a contractual dispute, not fraud. He blamed inflation, rising construction costs, and economic volatility for stalling progress.
“I’m not a thief or fugitive. This is a contract between my company and the Enugu State Government. The project became difficult due to the rising cost of materials. I will honour the EFCC’s invitation and clear my name,” he said emotionally.
The state government, however, dismissed his defense as “theatrics and crocodile tears.”
Timeline of Sujimoto’s Past Controversies
This is not the first time Sijibomi Ogundele has faced fraud allegations:
-
October 2024 – $325,000 Banana Island Fraud Allegation
Ogundele was accused by a client of receiving $325,000 for a luxury three-bedroom apartment in the Leonardo project at Banana Island, Lagos, but allegedly failed to deliver the property or refund the money.The matter was investigated by the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) in Abuja. Ogundele initially ignored police invitations and instead filed a fundamental rights suit to restrain the investigation. He later honoured police questioning, denied wrongdoing, and blamed project delays on inflation and forex instability.
-
Multiple Project Delays
Over the years, Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited has faced criticism from clients for missed delivery deadlines, though Ogundele has consistently defended himself by citing economic instability and his long-term commitment to complete projects.
Government’s Final Stand
Reiterating its position, the Enugu government vowed to recover every kobo paid to Sujimoto.
“Nigerians should disregard his theatrics. The Enugu State Government is determined to recover every penny fraudulently obtained from Ndi Enugu,” the statement concluded.
