By Nkechi Eze
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has handed over the sum of N1,234,350,000 to the Enugu State Government, being part of funds recovered from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited over its failure to execute the construction of 22 smart schools awarded to it by the state.
The handover, which took place on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, followed investigations by the Commission into allegations of fraud and contract abandonment levelled against the construction firm. The EFCC said the recovery was in line with its statutory mandate to combat economic and financial crimes and ensure the restitution of public funds misappropriated or diverted by fraudulent actors.
The Commission disclosed that it had received a petition dated February 11, 2025, alleging that Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited collected substantial public funds from the Enugu State Government without delivering on the agreed project. According to the petition, the company, through its Group Managing Director, Dr Olasijibomi Ogundele, received the sum of N2,289,186,190 as advance payment for the construction of 22 smart schools across the state.
The petitioner stated that despite the lapse of the contractual completion date on January 2, 2025, there was persistent non-performance on the part of the contractor. Documents attached to the petition, it said, clearly pointed to an intention to defraud the state government.
“As the completion date stated in the contract awards lapsed on 2nd January 2025, the persistent nonperformance of the contractor as shown by the documents is clear evidence of intention to defraud the state government. We identify Ogundele as the Group Managing Director of the company and jointly liable for the refund of the state funds, following an irremediable breach of the terms of the contract and diversion of the project funds towards personal or other uses unconnected to the contract,” the petitioner stated.
Reacting to the petition, operatives of the Special Task Fraud Section attached to the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC commenced investigations, which culminated in the recovery of N1,234,350,000 for the Enugu State Government.
Speaking during the formal handover, the Zonal Director of the EFCC, Enugu Zonal Directorate, Commander of the EFCC, CE Daniel Isei, who represented the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede, reaffirmed the EFCC’s resolve to ensure that public funds are recovered and returned to their rightful owners.
“Where there are instances of economic and financial crimes against an individual or an agency of government, against government itself, the EFCC will ensure that every act that is contrary to law is dealt with, and where possible, restitution is made to the victim,” Isei said. “It is on this basis that we received your petition as a state government that there was a case that needed EFCC to do as mandated by law. We are glad to announce to you that in doing our job, we have been able to recover some of those monies that were given to Sujimoto Construction.”
He warned contractors handling public projects to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Procurement Act and to uphold integrity and accountability in the management of public funds. He also conveyed the EFCC Chairman’s position that the Commission would examine every aspect of the petition against Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited to ensure that all unaccounted funds belonging to the Enugu State Government are traced and recovered.
“Where cases of criminality are established, the EFCC will take further steps of prosecution. That must be clearly understood,” Olukoyede said. “For us, we will continue to expect that people align their activities to processes and procedures. People must work clearly in line with extant laws, particularly the Procurement Act. It is very important that where due diligence is applied in all cases, prevention will come into play.”
He added that professionalism, transparency and accountability must guide all contractors engaging with government at all levels, warning that any public fund not adequately utilised or properly accounted for would attract the intervention of the Commission.
Receiving the draft on behalf of the Enugu State Government, Onyia commended the EFCC for its professionalism and diligence in handling the matter. He said that despite distractions and public pressure following the submission of the petition, the Commission remained focused and conducted thorough investigations that led to the recovery of the funds.
“EFCC, we thank you for being very focused on helping us recover this fund. This, for us, is a remarkable testimony of intergovernmental collaboration and transparency,” Onyia said, describing the recovery as a boost to public confidence in accountability and the rule of law.
