₦airaland Forum

The Enugu State Government has recovered a total of ₦1.27 billion from Mr. Olasijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd., following investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the alleged diversion of funds meant for the construction of 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 on Wednesday 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, attributing 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, while urging 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.

Putindbutt:
With all the billions Otti is collecting, he's a failure. Repainting roads built by OUK and spending money on PR, even makes him a bigger failure.
Can you compare this long road built by Ben Kalu to less than 2km roads that Otti is using to steal state's money?. Shame to Obidients packaging a failure of a Governor.

A daughter asking the father for a DNA test will really break and touch the father's heart.

After 5 DNA test … she Dey crase .. her and her mom better leave me the Bleep alone and go find her papa …

You knew the mom or not??😏😏

Never met the bitch … except when went For the DNA … very stupid behavior I will soon treat their FK … 5 fucking hospitals just to be clear .. the mom needs to go to jail … I don’t blame the poor girl ..

5DNA test? That’s crazy fr

Yes I chose 3 hospitals and they chose their own two hospitals .. all came out Negative .. this is the last time I’m speaking on this nonsense

I believe him. Adelekes don’t seem to be the type to fling children away. I mean, even Father Abraham here identifies with his children from all branches.

You guys don’t know my father … he’s even the one that forced me to go .. Adeleke’s we don’t play about Blood on this side !

one of the beneficiaries was a leader of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore

chatinent:
Another initial gragra by the EFCC to look like they are fighting corruption yet nothing will come out of it. If Yahaya is still walking freely, the EFCC is complicit in the corruption.

obi4eze:
Please what did they purchase with 2.5 billion?

The federal government says it has inaugurated the N2.5 billion surveillance centre equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) for the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

In 2025, David Umahi, minister of works, announced that the federal government had installed surveillance cameras on the Third Mainland Bridge.

Umahi said the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the bridge was intended to prevent suicide attempts.

At the time, the minister said security personnel would monitor footage from the CCTV and enforce speed regulations.

Speaking at the inauguration of the centre on Sunday, Umahi said the current administration met a “very terrible Third Mainland Bridge”.

“When we came on board in 2023, we met a very terrible Third Mainland Bridge, Carter Bridge and Iddo Bridge, both on the pavement, surface, infrastructure above the water and even infrastructure below the water,” he said.

“The president, therefore, directed total re-evaluation and rehabilitation of the surfaces of the Third Mainland Bridge and changing the expansion joints.

“Lagosians were very happy with the president for that beautiful work, and that work completed and commissioned is still succeeding because of the quality.”

The minister said the full rehabilitation of the Third Mainland Bridge cost a total of N43 billion.

He clarified that the newly inaugurated CCTV surveillance centre is Nigeria’s first of its kind, equipped with 240 solar panels, air-conditioning, inverters, a 300KVA transformer, standby generator, monitoring screens, a surveillance boat, and two Hilux vans cost no more than N2.5 billion

Umahi commended China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which executed the project, for delivering what he described as quality work.

He said the ministry would hand over a surveillance boat and two Hilux vans included in the contract to the police for monitoring activities on the bridge.

“If they need to incorporate other security agencies, they can do that, but the idea of this project is that we have a lay-by on the bridge, so we view everything going on on this bridge,” he said.

The minister expressed concerns over excessive speeding on the bridge and urged motorists to obey traffic laws.

Earlier, Olufemi Dare, federal controller of works in Lagos, also reiterated that the surveillance centre is the first of its kind in the country.

“I doubt if there is any bridge in Nigeria that has what we have deployed here today, where you have CCTV to monitor both the underwater and even the bridge itself,” Dare said.

“We have a boat that has been bought for surveillance of the bridge. There are two Hilux vans, too.


“We have 240 solar panels in this environment, and that is not enough. The whole place is fully air-conditioned. We have 10 inverters inside the building.

“We have the powering units. We have a transformer, a 300 KVA transformer. We have a standby generating plant and monitoring screens.”

He thanked President Bola Tinubu for approving the project and commended Umahi for ensuring due process in its execution.

“We have about 1,268 solar street lights that are part of this contract,” he said.

“This is the first level of commissioning. We are still going to come back here to do even for the extension of the bridge, which is about to be completed,” he said.

“We pray that very sooner than later, we will come back to do a full-blown commissioning.”