EFCC Hands Over N1.28bn Recovered from Sujimoto to Enugu State

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday returned N1.28 billion recovered from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited to the Enugu State Government following the collapse of a contract for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across the state.

The refund followed investigations into alleged fraud, contract violations and diversion of public funds linked to the abandoned school project.

In a statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the recovery stemmed from a petition dated February 11, 2025, which accused Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited of receiving public funds without executing the agreed scope of work.

According to the petition, the Enugu State Government paid N2.29 billion as advance payment for the construction of the 22 schools, but the January 2, 2025 completion deadline passed with little or no progress. The company’s Group Managing Director, Olasijibomi Ogundele, was named in the petition and held jointly responsible for refunding the funds over alleged persistent non-performance and diversion of project resources.

Following the complaint, operatives of the EFCC’s Special Task Fraud Section at the Enugu Zonal Directorate launched investigations, which resulted in the recovery of the funds on behalf of the state government.

While presenting the recovered cheques and bank drafts at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Office, the Zonal Director, Daniel Isei, who represented the Commission’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, said the action was in line with the EFCC’s mandate to trace, recover and return public funds lost to economic and financial crimes.

He disclosed that drafts totaling N1,234,350,000, alongside an additional N50 million, were recovered, bringing the total sum to N1,284,350,000 for the benefit of Enugu State.

Isei reiterated the Commission’s commitment to accountability in public finance management, warning contractors handling government projects to strictly comply with the Public Procurement Act. He stressed that investigations were ongoing and that the recovery of funds did not mark the conclusion of the case, noting that prosecution would follow where criminal responsibility is established.

Receiving the funds on behalf of the Enugu State Government, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, praised the EFCC for its professionalism and persistence despite public controversy surrounding the matter.

Describing the recovery as a strong example of intergovernmental collaboration, transparency and accountability, Onyia said the administration of Governor Peter Mbah remained committed to prudent use of public resources. He assured that the recovered funds would be redirected to critical infrastructure projects aimed at improving residents’ welfare.

He added that the state government turned to the EFCC after identifying gaps between project expectations and actual delivery, reaffirming its resolve to hold defaulting contractors accountable.

The EFCC had earlier declared Ogundele wanted on September 5, 2025, over alleged fund diversion and money laundering, calling on the public to provide information on his whereabouts. On the same day, Ogundele released a video on social media, stating his intention to present himself to the Commission.