The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a court order to detain the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, as investigations into the alleged diversion of N5.7 billion Enugu State funds deepen.
There are also strong indications that the anti-graft agency may move to obtain another order to seize funds in Ogundele’s personal and company accounts, which had earlier been frozen.
Ogundele is under investigation for allegedly failing to deliver 22 Smart Green School projects in Enugu State, despite reportedly collecting over N5 billion as part-payment from the state government.
Sources at the EFCC disclosed that the remand order was granted by a Magistrate Court, pending the conclusion of investigations.
The source said: “He is expected to explain how he spent the N5.7 billion or refund the money. His case looks straightforward.”
It was alleged that the funds meant for the projects were diverted into Ogundele’s private accounts and Sujimoto estate projects in Lagos.
The EFCC source further explained that the commission already has evidence of the payment, as well as contractual documents showing Ogundele’s alleged failure to meet obligations. He added that freezing the suspect’s accounts was necessary in case the commission approaches the courts for forfeiture.
It would be recalled that Ogundele’s personal and company accounts had earlier been frozen, alongside the seizure of his international passport.
According to reports, the Sujimoto CEO will from next week interface with top officials of the Enugu State government on the award of the 22 Smart Green Schools project.
The EFCC had declared Ogundele wanted penultimate Friday for alleged money laundering, but he quickly took to X (formerly Twitter), accusing the Enugu State government of underpricing the contract while blaming inflation.
In a swift reaction, the Enugu State government issued a detailed statement, accusing Ogundele of abandoning the project after receiving a mobilisation fee of over N5.7 billion.
“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 statement read.
“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 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.”
The state also released photographs from joint inspections carried out with EFCC operatives on May 8 and 9, showing that most sites had either stalled at foundation and DPC level or only progressed to block work.
In contrast, other contractors engaged by the state were said to have successfully delivered multiple Smart Green School projects. According to findings, Chief Ikeje Asogwa of Intasog completed 12 projects, Surv. Ugo Chime of Testimony Enterprises, Chinedu Nwobodo (Petit) of Albond Limited, and Chief Charles Mba of CDV Properties and Development Limited all completed 10 projects each.
Meanwhile, the EFCC source confirmed that Ogundele will continue to face intense questioning and may ultimately have his assets seized to recover public funds if he fails to account for the missing billions.
