Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has announced that Sujimoto Luxury Construction Company Limited, owned by Olasijibomi Ogundele, has commenced refunding the N5.7 billion paid to them for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in the state.
The governor made this disclosure during a live media chat after his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Governor Mbah, he is optimistic that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will ensure that all state funds are recovered.
“I am aware that some money has been paid back to Enugu State government account, and I am optimistic that with the way the EFCC is handling the case, no state fund with him will be left unpaid back,” Mbah said.
The controversy surrounding Sujimoto Luxury Construction Company Limited began when the company allegedly abandoned the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools after receiving 50% mobilization fees amounting to N5,762,565,475.25.
Despite the contract award in July 2024, the company failed to meet the six-month deadline for completion, prompting the Enugu State Government to terminate the contract and petition the EFCC.
The EFCC subsequently declared Ogundele wanted for alleged diversion of funds and money laundering.
In a viral video, Ogundele claimed that the contract was underpriced and that inflation hindered project execution. However, the Enugu State Government refuted these claims, stating that Ogundele’s firm did substandard work and abandoned the sites.
The EFCC had secured a court order to detain Ogundele, and the agency had been working to recover the allegedly diverted funds. The Enugu State Government has also retaken possession of the abandoned sites and handed them over to new contractors.
