Governor Peter Mbah says Sujimoto Luxury Construction Company has begun refunding N5.7 billion meant for Enugu’s Smart Schools project.
He assured that the EFCC will recover all remaining state funds involved in the deal.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has confirmed that Sujimoto Luxury Construction Company Limited, owned by Olasijibomi Ogundele, has started refunding the N5.7 billion it received for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in the state.
The governor made this known during a live media chat following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mbah explained that the refund marks a positive step toward recovering public funds allegedly diverted during the abandoned Smart Schools project. He expressed confidence that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would ensure the complete recovery of all state monies involved in the contract.
According to him, “Some of the funds have already been returned to the Enugu State Government account. With the current progress of the EFCC’s investigation, I am confident that every kobo owed to the state will be recovered.”
The controversy surrounding Sujimoto Luxury Construction Company began after the firm reportedly abandoned the Smart Green Schools project despite receiving a 50 percent mobilization payment of N5,762,565,475.25. The contract, awarded in July 2024, was expected to be completed within six months but was not delivered, prompting the government to terminate it and report the matter to the EFCC.
Following the petition, the EFCC declared Ogundele wanted for alleged diversion of funds and money laundering. In a social media video, Ogundele defended himself, claiming the project cost had been underestimated and that inflation hindered its completion. However, the Enugu State Government dismissed his explanation, insisting the company failed to meet standards and abandoned the project sites.
The EFCC later obtained a court order to detain Ogundele and began working to trace and recover the funds. The Enugu State Government has since reclaimed the project sites and reassigned them to new contractors to continue the work.
Ogundele, a 44-year-old indigene of Ori-Ade Local Government Area in Osun State, was previously detained by the police in 2024 over a separate $325,000 property fraud case, following a petition by a human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi. He was later released on bail.
The EFCC has appealed to the public to provide any information that may assist in locating Ogundele, whose last known address was listed as Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.
