”I am not a thief and i am not a fugitive” – Sujimoto CEO Responds After EFCC Declared Him Wanted

Olasijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, has responded after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him wanted on Friday over allegations of diversion of funds and money laundering.

In a statement clarifying the situation, Ogundele linked the case to a contract awarded to his company by the Enugu State Government for the construction of schools. He explained that the project faced cost overruns, was later cancelled, and his firm was asked to refund about ₦1 billion.

Excerpts from a video shared by the business man

“I am not a thief and i am not a fugitive.  This is a contract between myself and the Enugu State government. The state gave my company contract for some projects and in the middle of it, they decided they wanted a mega city but due to cost overruns the project was cancelled. We were asked to refund about ₦1 billion. For this reason, the EFCC has declared me wanted. I will sort it out and will go to meet them”…. Ogundele said.

The EFCC, in its earlier notice signed by Head of Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, urged the public to provide credible information that could lead to Ogundele’s arrest. The Commission described him as wanted in connection with alleged cases of diversion of funds and money laundering, noting that his last known address was in Banana Island, Lagos.

Ogundele’s response comes amid growing public debate about the EFCC’s methods and its focus on Nigeria’s booming real estate sector, which the agency has repeatedly identified as a major channel for illicit financial flows.

The Sujimoto chief maintains he is not on the run and intends to resolve the matter directly with the Commission.

Watch the full video of him speaking on the matter below …

In other news, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has taken the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to court over the recently reintroduced tinted glass permit.

Meanwhile, The Abia State Government sacked six civil servants who are staff members of the Ministry of Justice after an internal probe revealed they allegedly tampered with the payroll system to collect inflated salaries.