The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched moves to seize assets belonging to Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd and its Chief Executive Officer, Sijibomi Ogundele, following the abandonment of a multibillion-naira school project in Enugu State.
Investigations revealed that the Enugu State Government paid the contractor a mobilization fee of N5.7 billion, representing 50 percent of the contract sum, for the construction of 22 “Smart Green Schools.” The projects were scheduled for completion within six months, beginning in February 2025.
However, an inspection carried out in May 2025 by officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, alongside EFCC operatives, showed that most sites had recorded little or no meaningful progress. While a few sites had only reached foundation or blockwork level, many had not gone beyond basic excavation.
Government officials alleged that the contractor relied on inexperienced workers and substandard materials, describing the level of work done as shoddy and unacceptable.
In response to the findings, the EFCC obtained a court order to freeze Ogundele’s personal and company bank accounts, as well as seize his international passport. A magistrate court also granted the anti-graft agency authority to keep him in custody while investigations continue, with the likelihood of fresh orders for asset recovery.
Ogundele, reacting through social media, attributed the project delay to inflation and under-pricing of the contract, insisting that rising construction costs made execution difficult.
The EFCC maintains that recovery of funds and assets remains a priority as the Enugu State Government pushes for accountability and the completion of the much-publicized Smart Green Schools initiative.
