How Sujimoto boss Ogundele defrauded the state – Enugu Govt
The Enugu State Government has detailed how the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, allegedly defrauded it of ₦5.7 billion meant for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across the state.
According to the government, the contract, valued at ₦11.4 billion, was awarded to Sujimoto on 2 July 2024 with a six-month delivery timeline. To fast-track the project, the state paid ₦5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 percent of the contract sum.
The Commissioner for Information, Malachy Agbo, explained that Mr Ogundele initially presented a Jaiz Bank bond to secure the contract but diverted the funds through a Zenith Bank account registered with the Ministry of Works. This, the government said, was a deliberate scheme to make Jaiz Bank evade liability.
Mr Agbo alleged that rather than deliver quality schools furnished and equipped ahead of the September 2025 resumption date, Sujimoto engaged inexperienced workers, used substandard materials, and abandoned the sites after receiving payment.
He further revealed that a joint inspection by state officials and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in May 2025 confirmed that little to no work had been done at most sites, while some blocks were not excavated at all.
“None of the sites met the required structural integrity as outlined in the project design. Worse still, Ogundele vanished with the money and ignored every effort to bring him to the table,” Mr Agbo said.
The commissioner stressed that the government has since repossessed the sites and reassigned them to other firms to begin fresh construction.
He added that the EFCC was petitioned after Sujimoto repeatedly failed to account for the funds or attend mandatory project briefings.
“Nigerians should ignore his theatrics and crocodile tears,” Mr Agbo declared. “The Enugu State Government is determined to recover every penny fraudulently taken from Ndi Enugu.”
REPUBLICAN NIGERIA had earlier reported that the Sujimoto boss while in tears denied the claims after being declared wanted by EFCC.
Ogundele equally vowed to appear at the EFCC office to clear his name.
