Questions over missing billions in Enugu State schools have intensified, with the EFCC obtaining a court order to detain Sujimoto CEO, Sijibomi Ogundele, in its ongoing investigation.
The remand order, secured from a magistrate court, allows the anti-graft agency to question Ogundele on how funds meant for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools were managed. His company reportedly received ₦5.7billion, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, but failed to deliver the projects within the agreed six months.
EFCC sources confirmed that Ogundele’s personal accounts and those of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited have been frozen, while his international passport has also been seized. Two weeks earlier, the commission had declared him wanted for alleged money laundering.
An EFCC insider said: “He is expected to explain how he spent the ₦5.7 billion or refund the money.”
Ogundele has denied wrongdoing, insisting the matter is a contractual misunderstanding with the Enugu State Government. In an emotional post on X, he declared: “I am not a thief. I am not a fugitive. This is a contract between me and the Enugu State Government”.
According to him, his company was initially contracted to design a 69-storey skyscraper in Enugu but was later redirected to school projects due to budget constraints. He claimed he invested heavily, deployed 42 engineers, relocated temporarily to Enugu, and even sustained an injury during work.
The Enugu State Government has countered, accusing him of abandoning the contract after receiving mobilization funds. Officials allege that the little work executed failed structural integrity tests and that Ogundele repeatedly ignored calls, messages, and invitations to review meetings.
A government statement read: “Rather than follow the contract terms, Mr. Ogundele resorted to shoddy jobs and unqualified workers. Worse still, he vanished with the money, refusing all efforts to bring him to the table.”
The case has now escalated into a high-profile standoff, with the EFCC pursuing its probe, the Enugu Government demanding accountability and Ogundele maintaining his innocence.
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