Court approves EFCC detention of Sujimoto CEO over alleged contract fraud

An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court has granted approval for the detention of Sijibomi Ogundele, the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ogundele is currently under investigation in connection with an alleged ₦5.7 billion contract fraud, a case that has drawn widespread public interest due to his high profile in Nigeria’s luxury real estate sector.

The EFCC had earlier, on September 5, declared Ogundele wanted after he repeatedly failed to honour invitations for questioning. However, the developer later turned himself in to authorities.

The recent order, granted on Friday, empowers the anti-graft agency to keep Ogundele in custody pending the conclusion of investigations into claims that he collected mobilisation funds from the Enugu State Government for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools but failed to deliver on the contract.

According to court filings, Ogundele allegedly received ₦5,762,565,475.25, representing 50 percent of the contract sum, with a mandate to complete the projects within six months from February 2025. However, government officials insist the sites were abandoned, with some still at foundation level despite the mobilisation.

A petition filed by the Enugu State Government alleged that the Sujimoto boss ignored repeated invitations for dialogue and accountability. Joint inspections carried out by EFCC operatives and the state’s Ministry of Works in May reportedly confirmed that only “minimal to no significant work” had been executed across the 22 project sites.