The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered N1.234 billion from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited and returned it to the Enugu State Government.
The announcement was made via the commission’s official X account on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
This follows a petition submitted by the Enugu State Government after the company failed to honor its contract to construct 22 smart schools, despite receiving over N2.28 billion in advance payments.
What the EFCC is saying
According to the statement, the EFCC acted following a formal request from the Enugu State Government in February 2025.
The request alleged that Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, led by Dr. Olasijibomi Ogundele, had diverted funds meant for the smart schools project for personal or unrelated purposes. It also highlighted persistent nonperformance and breach of contract as evidence of an intent to defraud the state government.
EFCC operatives, through the Special Task Fraud Section of the Enugu Zonal Directorate, investigated the matter and successfully recovered N1,234,350,000 for the state government.
“In line with its unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption, economic and financial crimes and the recovery of public funds misappropriated or unutilized by fraudulent actors, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, handed over the sum of N1, 234,350,000 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-four Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) to the Enugu State government. The said sum was recovered from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, for failure to honour the agreement between it and the state, over the construction of 22 smart schools in the state,” the statement read in part.
More insights
The commission reiterated its commitment to combating economic and financial crimes and ensuring that misappropriated public funds are recovered.
It also emphasized that contractors handling public funds must comply with the Procurement Act and maintain high standards of integrity, accountability, and transparency.
The recovered funds were formally handed over to the Enugu State Government, which praised the EFCC for its professionalism, focused approach, and thorough investigation.
What you should know
In September 2025, the EFCC declared Dr. Olasijibomi Ogundele wanted over alleged diversion of funds and money laundering related to the 22 Smart Green Schools project, valued at N5.7 billion.
- Ogundele later released a video denying wrongdoing, attributing delays to economic and operational challenges, including rising material costs, inflation, manpower shortages, and security issues. He said he mobilized engineers to oversee the work and remained committed to completing the projects.
- Following these developments, the Enugu State Government formally petitioned the EFCC, alleging that Ogundele had vanished after receiving 50% of the contract sum, leaving the projects largely incomplete.
- Investigations, the EFCC noted, revealed minimal work at most sites, with some lacking proper excavation and structural compliance. Efforts by the government to engage Ogundele reportedly failed.
A joint team of officials from the Enugu Ministry of Works and EFCC confirmed the lack of substantial progress during inspections in May 2025.
The recovery of N1.234 billion by the EFCC returns a portion of the misappropriated funds to the state.
