The Enugu State Government has alleged that Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited’s CEO, Olasijibomi Ogundele, misappropriated N5.76 billion intended for constructing 22 Smart Green Schools statewide.
Ogundele on Friday was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged money laundering and diversion of funds.
Afterwards, a video surfaced with Ogundele insisting he was not guilty of any crime, and ready to clear his name.
The real estate developer explained that the controversy stemmed from a contract with the Enugu State Government.
On Friday, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, issued a statement revealing that the contract, valued at N11,457,930,950.52, was awarded on July 2, 2024, for the construction of 22 Smart Schools. Some of the project sites allegedly abandoned in Enugu by CEO Sujimoto, Ogundele.
According to Agbo, the state paid 50 per cent of the contract upfront to accelerate the work, but it was abandoned.
“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,” The government alleged that Ogundele failed to meet contractual obligations, deploying inexperienced workers and engineers while producing substandard work.
“Rather than play to the rules of the contract to deliver quality projects for furnishing and equipping ahead of September 2025 school resumption, in line with the priority placed on the Smart Green Schools initiative by the government, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and the use of inexperienced workers and quack engineers.
“None of his sites met the structural integrity of the projects as specified in the structural drawing,” Agbor stated.Some of the project sites allegedly abandoned in Enugu by CEO Sujimoto, Ogundele.
According to the statement, efforts by the government to engage Ogundele proved unsuccessful, as he allegedly ignored calls, messages, and invitations to periodic project briefings.
