Sijibomi Ogundele, popularly known as Sujimoto’s CEO, has vehemently denounced the allegations of money laundering and diversion of funds asserted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Declared wanted by the agency, the real estate businessman appeared in an emotional video saying he is not a kidnapper or a fugitive.
At the center of the controversy is the contract awarded on July 30, 2024, by the Enugu State Government to “Design and Construct 22 Smart Green Schools” valued at roughly N11.46 billion. The state government paid half of this sum in advance, approximately N5.76 billion, for the project.
However, after inspections from the Enugu Ministry of Works, and the EFCC in May 2025, government officials found little to no physical activity at the work sites, as there had been no excavation, and the work allegedly did not meet acceptable structural requirements.
Eventually, the Enugu State Government stated that Ogundele’s firm had used “amateurs” for the work they were contracted, and when it appeared it could not fulfill the contract, the projects were reallocated to other contractors. The state government condemned Ogundele’s performance as theatrics, and insisted that the money would be reclaimed.
Ogundele’s video response stated that the collapse of the contract was arguably a combination of national economic difficulties, not the result of any crime. He stated that prices for some of the materials, like cement, had risen from N7,000 to N10,000 for a bag of cement. He also identified inflation, the foreign exchange rate, security threats, and a clustered logistics environment, disrupting the collaboration of several projects. He described falling on construction site visits because of back injuries but continued to fulfill each of his contract requirements.
Ogundele also mentioned he designed a building project for the state, a 69-story-high rise, around the same time as the school project, as part of the original negotiations. He went onsite with 42 engineers, and for several weeks lived in Enugu to fulfill the deadlines. When conflict ensued, He believed the project should have been decided in court, after making every effort to reach out to the state government for resolution. Ogundele claims he followed the required protocol for the EFCC notice, although he maintains the damage to his reputation and business has been done. He expressed his willingness to accept an invitation from the EFCC and exonerate himself.
This is not the first time Ogundele has been the subject of legal scrutiny. The Police Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) investigated Ogundele in October 2024 regarding a $325,000 matter about a fee from a client for a property in his Leonardo project. Ogundele was unresponsive to the department until several months later. Ogundele only attended the FCID to provide documentation including approvals and title deeds, consistent with compliance, and remained resolute that he had not committed a crime.
As the situation progresses, it is unclear whether Ogundele will formally deal with EFCC investigations, as well as what the commission and Enugu State will do. This situation exemplifies the ongoing turbulence in Nigeria’s public and private sectors regarding government procurement, contractor performance, and accountability in the areas of building construction, development, and rehabilitation.