EFCC Hands Over ₦1.28bn Recovered From Sujimoto to Enugu Govt
- Commission vows to track remaining funds, warns erring contractors. We won’t tolerate project abandonment, says SSG
By Obiozor Offodile
ENUGU — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over bank drafts totaling ₦1.28 billion to the Enugu State Government, being funds recovered from the CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd, Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele.
The recovery follows an intensive investigation into the alleged diversion of funds originally earmarked for the construction of Smart Green Schools across the state—projects which the government claims were either abandoned or failed to meet execution milestones.
At a brief ceremony held on Wednesday at the EFCC Zonal Office in Enugu, the Zonal Director, Daniel Ise, presented the cheques to state officials. He revealed that the recovery was the result of a petition filed by the state government.
Giving a breakdown of the recovery, Ise stated: “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.”
He further warned that the commission is not yet finished with the case. “This does not mark the end of the case. We will look at every facet of the petition to ensure that every kobo belonging to the Enugu State Government is tracked and recovered,” the Director added, noting that prosecution would follow where criminality is established.
Receiving the funds on behalf of the state, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, commended the anti-graft agency for its professionalism and for staying focused despite “noise in the public space.”
Prof. Onyia emphasized that the move aligns with Governor Peter Mbah’s policy of transparency and “zero tolerance” for the mismanagement of taxpayers’ money.
“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,” Onyia explained. “Today marks the beginning of that recovery process.”
The SSG further disclosed that the state has already initiated legal proceedings against the contractor to ensure due process is followed. He sent a stern warning to other firms handling state projects, asserting that any contractor who fails to deliver value for money will face the full weight of the law.
The recovered funds, according to the state government, will be immediately reinvested into critical infrastructure projects to improve the lives of Enugu residents.
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