Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday handed the sum of N1.28 billion to the Enugu State Government.
The amount was recovered from Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd., following investigations by the Commission into the alleged diversion of funds meant for the construction of 22 Smart Green Schools in the state.
The recovered sum, part of monies paid to the company for projects which were ostensibly abandoned or substantially unexecuted, was formally handed over to the state government at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Office through a series of bank drafts and cheques.
Presenting the cheques, the EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, said the recovery was in line with the agency’s statutory mandate to trace, recover, and restitute public funds lost through economic and financial crimes.
He disclosed that the recovery followed a petition submitted by the Enugu State Government, which prompted the Commission to commence investigations.
“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,” Ise said.
He attributed the progress to the diligence and professionalism of EFCC officers handling the case.
He, however, stressed that the handover did not mark the end of the investigation, assuring that the commission would continue to examine all aspects of the petition to ensure that every kobo unaccounted for is traced and recovered.
According to him, where evidence of criminality is established, the EFCC would proceed with prosecution in line with the law.
“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 that is not accounted for is tracked and recovered,” he said.
He urged contractors to adhere strictly to extant laws, particularly the Procurement Act.
The EFCC also reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with governments at all levels to safeguard public resources, warning that accountability in the execution of public contracts remains non-negotiable.
Receiving the cheques and drafts on behalf of the state government, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, expressed appreciation to the EFCC for what he described as its professionalism, focus, and resilience despite what he termed “distractions and noise in the public space” surrounding the matter.
Prof. Onyia said the recovery underscored the Enugu State administration’s commitment to transparency, traceability, and accountability, principles he noted are central to the governance philosophy of Governor Peter Mbah, assuring that the recovered funds would be reinvested in infrastructure projects to improve the quality of life of the people of the state.
“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 to help us recover the funds,” he said.
“Today marks the beginning of that recovery process, and we are pleased with the outcome so far.”
The SSG further disclosed that the state government had earlier instituted legal action against the contractor and also petitioned the EFCC, allowing due process to run its full course to avoid complications or future litigation.
He noted that investigations were still ongoing and declined to pre-empt their outcome.
He further reiterated the government’s resolve to hold all contractors accountable for projects awarded to them.
The SSG emphasized that any contractor who fails to deliver value for public funds would face appropriate legal consequences based on the advice of the state’s legal authorities.
