Sujimoto CEO Olasijibomi Ogundele has released a video statement denying allegations of fraud and insisting he is not a fugitive after being declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The EFCC says it’s looking for Ogundele – a Lagos-based businessman and Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited – over alleged diversion of funds and money laundering.
The anti-graft agency, in a notice published on Friday and signed by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said Ogundele is a 44-year-old indigene of Ori-Ade Local Government Area of Osun State.
“Ogundele is a 44-year-old indigene of Ori-Ade Local Government of Osun State and his last known address is: G 29, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos State,” the EFCC said. “Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its offices.”
However, on a passionate appeal recorded on video, Ogundele denied culpability.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is a contract between my company and the Enugu State Government. Enugu State Government asked me to help them build a couple of things, a couple of projects, which was very interesting,” he said.
According to him, the contract later shifted focus to ambitious projects, including a proposed 69-storey building. “I designed it and gave it to him. He said, okay, keep it aside. He said, while you’re waiting for this, please help me do this course. That we have money, but we don’t have people that can do it.”
Ogundele claimed he mobilised 42 engineers to Enugu, took up residence in the state, and worked across local governments despite difficult conditions, including being shot at in some communities.
“I told the government, I said, this project is impossible because of the price, the pricing, the cost of it is too low to build. The government said, don’t worry, just help me do this course. And later, you will make money from this course, but you make money from the other projects,” he explained.
He said the project was frustrated as inflation and security challenges worsened. “When we took the contract, cement was 7,000. By the time we left, cement was 10,000. Sometimes, when in the villages, my staffs are being shot at… but at the end of the day, things went sour between myself and the government.”
Ogundele added that he remained on the project until its collapse. “Till the last day, I was in the project. Then I asked them, how much have we spent in the project? And I put my foot. They took us to court, and we told the court, we don’t want to fight with the government. Let’s agree, let’s agree. How much do we owe you? And I was in agreement with them, and now they took me. Now they declare me wanted.”
He accused the authorities of damaging his reputation and vowed to clear his name. “They destroyed my company, they abused me. But I’m going to go there. I’m going to the EFCC office. I’m going to go and claim my name. In the last two, three years, prices have just gone crazy. If I am doing my project, it’s delayed… the economy went sour on me.”
The EFCC has not yet formally responded to Ogundele’s video claims.
This is not Ogundele’s first encounter with law enforcement. In October 2024, he was detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja over allegations of fraud. That case followed a petition filed by human rights lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, who accused him of obtaining $325,000 from one Kabiru Ibrahim under false lo l pretence in November 2020. According to the petition, Ibrahim paid Ogundele the sum as a 50 percent advance payment for a three-bedroom flat in an estate, only to later discover that Sujimoto Luxury Construction had no such project ongoing at the time. Ogundele was eventually released by the police.
Boluwatife Enome
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