The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday grilled Sijibomi Ogundele, the chief executive officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, in Abuja over allegations of diverting ₦5.7 billion belonging to the Enugu State Government.
Ogundele, whose interrogation lasted over 10 hours as of 8:00 p.m., had earlier been declared wanted after failing to honour invitations by the anti-graft agency.
The EFCC has frozen his personal and company accounts and is expected to seize his passport pending further investigation.
According to reports, Ogundele’s company was awarded a contract worth over ₦11 billion by the Enugu State Government. While the state initially approved 30% upfront payment, Ogundele reportedly requested 50%, ₦5.7 billion, promising to deliver the project within record time.
However, state officials allege that the value of work executed on-site is no more than ₦750 million. They further accused Ogundele of abandoning the project and failing to return to site, prompting a formal petition to the EFCC.
After failing to honour several invitations, Ogundele was declared wanted. Before he turned himself in, investigators, alongside Enugu State officials, inspected the disputed project site.
An EFCC source confirmed his surrender, stating:
“For more than 10 hours, we have been questioning him based on the petition of the Enugu State Government. His accounts and that of his company have been frozen, and we will also seize his passport pending the conclusion of preliminary investigation.”
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, also confirmed late Tuesday that interrogation was ongoing.
Meanwhile, Ogundele has vowed to clear his name. In an emotional video posted online, he insisted the matter was purely contractual.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is a contract dispute between my company and the Enugu State Government. They asked me to help them build a couple of things, and I was visiting the state weekly. This is not criminality,” he said tearfully.
[Source: Nationonline]
Author
