The Enugu State Government has recovered ₦1.27 billion from Olasijibomi Ogundele, chief executive officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd., following investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the alleged diversion of funds meant for the construction of Smart Green Schools in the state.
The recovered sum, part of payments made for projects reportedly abandoned or largely unexecuted, was formally handed over on Wednesday at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Office through bank drafts and cheques.
Presenting the cheques, the EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, said the recovery followed a petition by the Enugu State Government and was in line with the Commission’s mandate to trace and restitute public funds lost to economic and financial crimes.
“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 the Enugu State Government. This does not mark the end of the case, as we will continue to look at every facet of the petition to ensure that every kobo is tracked and recovered,” Ise said.
He stressed that investigations were ongoing and that the EFCC would proceed with prosecution where evidence of criminality is established, while urging contractors to comply strictly with extant procurement laws.
Receiving the funds, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, commended the EFCC for its professionalism and resilience despite public attention surrounding the matter.
Onyia said the recovery reflected the state government’s commitment to transparency and accountability, adding that the recovered funds would be reinvested in infrastructure projects across the state.
He added that the state had earlier initiated legal action against the contractor and reiterated the government’s resolve to hold all contractors accountable for the execution of public projects.
