The Enugu State Government has accused the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele of a premeditated fraud scheme that allegedly cost the state nearly N5.7 billion.
The accusation comes after the government claims Ogundele abandoned the construction of 22 “Smart Green Schools,” one year after the contract was awarded.
The allegations, detailed in a statement from the Enugu State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo, claim that the state paid Sujimoto N5,762,565,475.25 on July 2, 2024, representing 50% of the total contract sum.
This payment was intended to fast-track the project and have the schools ready for the September 2025 school resumption.
According to the government, instead of beginning work, Ogundele allegedly performed “shoddy jobs” and hired “inexperienced workers and quack engineers.”
A joint team from the Enugu State Ministry of Works and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) inspected the 22 sites on May 8 and 9, 2025. The inspection found “minimal to no significant work” had been done, with many sites still at the foundation level.
The statement further alleges that Ogundele disappeared after receiving the payment, refusing to answer calls or attend scheduled meetings. The state government now claims the fraud was premeditated, as Ogundele presented a bond from Jaiz Bank to secure the contract but received the payment through a Zenith Bank account, making it impossible to hold Jaiz Bank liable.
Enugu State has since petitioned the EFCC to recover the funds and has handed the abandoned sites over to new firms to resume construction.
“Nigerians should therefore disregard his theatrics and crocodile tears, as Enugu State Government is determined to and will surely recover every penny of Ndi Enugu fraudulently obtained by Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele (Sujimoto),” the statement concluded.
