Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a court order to detain the chief executive officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, over an alleged N5.7 billion unexecuted contract in Enugu State.
Mr Ogundele is being investigated for allegedly failing to deliver 22 Smart Green School projects after his company reportedly received N5.7 billion, representing 50 percent mobilisation fee, from the Enugu State Government.
An EFCC source confirmed the development on Saturday, saying, “The remand order was secured from a magistrate court to enable us to conclude our investigations. He is expected to explain how he spent the N5.7 billion or refund the money. His case looks straightforward.”
The source added that Ogundele’s accounts were frozen “in case the investigation gets to a stage where we would approach the courts for forfeiture of the funds.”
The commission had declared Ogundele wanted on Friday, September 5, for alleged money laundering.
In response, he wrote on X that the contract was underpriced and cited inflation as reasons for the delay in delivery.
The Enugu State Government, however, alleged that Ogundele abandoned the projects after collecting payment.
It said he resorted to shoddy jobs using inexperienced workers and failed to attend project briefings despite repeated invitations.
A joint team of government officials and EFCC operatives visited the 22 sites in May and found little or no significant work had been done a year after the award of the contracts.
The sites have since been reassigned to new contractors.
Photographs released by the state government showed most of the sites at foundation and DPC levels.
Officials said other contractors awarded similar projects had delivered within schedule.
One of the contractors, Benneth Nwatu, CEO of Ever Progressive Integrated Resources Venture, confirmed that his company completed Smart Green Schools at Ugwuomu Nike, Queens School, and Inyi in Oji River.
He added that additional projects at Ekulu Girls and Iva Valley were near completion.
Olasijibomi Ogundele is expected to interface with top officials of the Enugu State Government as investigations continue.
