The Enugu State Government has received N1.28 billion from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered from the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele.
The EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, presented the funds, through some bank cheques, to officials of the state government on Wednesday in Enugu.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the state government had claimed Mr Ogundele absconded after he was paid N5.7 billion for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in different parts of Enugu State.
The government consequently filed a petition to the EFCC against Mr Ogundele which prompted the anti-graft agency to declare the entrepreneur wanted over alleged diversion of funds and money laundering.
Hours after he was declared wanted, a viral video surfaced online in which Mr Ogundele, visibly emotional, insisted he was innocent of any wrongdoing.
Recovery of N1.28 billion
Presenting the cheques, the EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Mr Ise, said the recovery was in line with the agency’s statutory mandate to trace, recover, and restitute public funds lost through economic and financial crimes.
He said the anti-graft agency recovered the money from Mr Ogundele following investigations by the commission into the alleged diversion of funds meant for the construction of Smart Green Schools in the state.
The zonal director said the investigations and subsequent recovery of the funds followed the petition submitted by the Enugu State Government.
“As of today, we have been able to recover drafts to the tune of N1,234,350,000 and an additional N50,000,000, bringing the total to N1,284,350,000 for the benefit of the Enugu State Government,” he said.
Mr Ise pointed out that the progress was due to the diligence and professionalism of EFCC officers handling the case.
He, however, stressed that the handover did not mark the end of the investigation, assuring that the commission would continue to examine all aspects of the petition to ensure that all the monies were traced and recovered.
The zonal director assured that the EFCC would proceed with prosecution in line with the law where there is established evidence of criminality.
He reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to collaborating with governments at all levels to safeguard public resources, warning that accountability in the execution of public contracts remains non-negotiable.
Enugu govt reacts
While receiving the cheques, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), Chidiebere Onyia, expressed gratitude to the EFCC for what he described as its professionalism, focus, and resilience.
Mr Onyia, a professor, said the recovery underscored the Enugu State Government’s commitment to transparency, traceability, and accountability principles.
The SSG assured that the recovered funds would be reinvested in infrastructure projects to improve the quality of life of the people of the state.
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“When there was a misalignment between our intent to use taxpayers’ money for development and what we saw in terms of delivery, we approached the EFCC to help us recover the funds,” he said.
“Today marks the beginning of that recovery process, and we are pleased with the outcome so far.”
Mr Onyia recalled that the state government had earlier instituted legal action against the contractor and also petitioned the EFCC to allow due process to run its “full course.”
He reiterated the government’s resolve to hold all contractors accountable for projects awarded to them.
The SSG emphasised that any contractor who fails to deliver value for public funds would face appropriate legal consequences based on the advice of the state’s legal authorities.
