Enugu Govt Recovers ₦1.28bn From Sujimoto CEO Over Smart School Funds
The Enugu State Government has recovered ₦1.284 billion from Mr Olasijibomi Ogundele, Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd, following an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into the alleged diversion of funds earmarked for the construction of Smart Green Schools in the state.
The recovered funds, which include payments made to the company for projects reportedly abandoned or largely unexecuted, were formally handed over to the state government on Wednesday at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Office through bank drafts and cheques.
While presenting the cheques, EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, said the recovery was carried out in line with the commission’s statutory responsibility to trace, recover and return public funds lost to economic and financial crimes.
He explained that the action followed a petition submitted by the Enugu State Government, which triggered a full-scale investigation by the commission.
“As of today, we have been able to recover drafts to the tune of ₦1,234,350,000 and an additional ₦50,000,000, bringing the total to ₦1,284,350,000 for the benefit of Enugu State government,” Ise said.
He credited the progress made so far to the diligence and professionalism of EFCC officers handling the matter, but stressed that the recovery and handover did not signal the conclusion of the investigation.
According to him, the commission will continue to scrutinise all aspects of the petition to ensure that no public funds remain unaccounted for.
“This does not mark the end of the case. We will look at every facet of the petition to ensure that every kobo belonging to the Enugu State Government that is not accounted for is tracked and recovered,” he said.
Ise added that where evidence of criminal wrongdoing is established, the EFCC would proceed with prosecution in line with existing laws. He also cautioned contractors to strictly comply with relevant regulations, particularly the Procurement Act.
The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to working with governments at all levels to protect public resources, warning that accountability in the execution of public contracts remains non-negotiable.
