The government of Enugu State has accused luxury apartment seller, Olasijibomi Ogundele aka Sujimoto, of stealing N5.7 billion given to him to build 22 Smart Green Schools across the state.
Sujimoto was, in August, declared wanted by the EFCC in connection with a case of illegal diversion of funds.
The businessman then released a video where he denied being a thief. He said the problem was connected to a project he was to do with the Enugu state government.
In response to his video, the Enugu State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Malachy Agbo, has insisted that Sujimoto disappeared after collecting nearly 6 billion naira.
The money was said to be a 50 per cent mobilisation fee for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools across the State.
The commissioner alleged that the contract was worth N11.4 billion. The contract was formally signed on July 2, 2024 and was meant to be completed in six months.
The government accused Ogundele of doing a shoddy job that did not meet structural specifications because he used incompetent staff.
The commissioner alleged that Sujimoto disappeared after abandoning the site of the projects.
He accused him of failing to attend the periodic project briefings and declining phone calls from officials.
The commissioner alleged that Sujimoto presented a performance bond from a Bank as part of the formalities for the contract.
However, he reportedly used his company’s account in a new generation bank to receive payments, thereby shielding the Bank from liability. This, according to the state government, suggested that the fraud was premeditated.
An inspection team involving officials of the Ministry of Works and officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visited the sites on May 8 and 9, 2025.
The team reportedly confirmed that an overwhelming number of the sites were abandoned at the foundation level. Others were abandoned at other stages.
Agbo said the government reassigned the projects to new contractors who are expected to meet the September 2025 deadline for the Smart Schools initiative.
The commissioner asked Nigerians to ignore Ogundele’s “theatrics.” He vowed that the money the real estate mogul embezzled would be fully recovered.
He said no amount of crocodile tears from the luxury apartment seller would erase the fact that he stole the money of the state.
Agbo said the Smart Green Schools would be completed and delivered to the people of Enugu.
See Sujimoto’s video here.
