Enugu State Government has fired back at Olasijibomi Ogundele, chief executive of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, accusing him of defrauding the state of N5.7 billion meant for its Smart Green Schools project.
The backlash followed a viral video in which Ogundele, in tears, denied wrongdoing after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission declared him wanted on Friday for alleged diversion of funds and money laundering.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive,” Ogundele said in the video, linking the allegations to a contract with Enugu to build 22 smart schools. He blamed inflation and security challenges for delays, citing rising cement prices and attacks on his workers.
Enugu officials dismissed the emotional appeal as a distraction. Malachy Agbo, the state commissioner for information, described Ogundele’s display as “theatrics and crocodile tears.”
According to Agbo, the N11.4 billion contract was awarded on July 2, 2024, with a six-month deadline. Ogundele allegedly collected N5.7 billion as an advance payment but failed to deliver.
“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 quack engineers,” Agbo said.
He added that none of the sites met structural integrity standards and that Ogundele “vanished into thin air with the money.” A joint inspection by state officials and EFCC operatives in May reportedly found “minimal to no significant work” across the 22 sites.
Agbo also alleged that Ogundele secured the contract with a Jaiz Bank bond but diverted payments to a Zenith Bank account, shielding the guarantor from liability.
The commissioner said the state has reassigned the projects to new contractors while working with EFCC to recover funds.
“The Enugu State Government will surely recover every penny of Ndi Enugu obtained by Olasijibomi Ogundele.”
“Nigerians should disregard his theatrics and crocodile tears,” Agbo said.
