The Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, has pledged to personally report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in order to clear his name following allegations of money laundering and fund diversion.
In a video message released on Friday, Ogundele expressed deep emotions, insisting that he had done nothing unlawful.
“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. I am going to the EFCC office, to clear my name,” the entrepreneur stated tearfully.
According to him, the controversy emerged from a contract between Sujimoto Construction and the Enugu State Government. He revealed that he was actively engaged in the state’s development projects before disagreements arose.
“This is a contract between my company and Enugu State Government. Enugu State Government asked me to help them build a couple of things which was very interesting. I was going to the state every week. In the middle of the project, the governor said he wanted to build a city and he wanted to build the tallest building in Nigeria,” Ogundele explained.
The real estate mogul emphasized that legal disputes had followed, with the matter moving to court.
“I was in agreement with the government after they took us to court. Now they declared me wanted, they destroyed my company that I built,” he lamented.
Ogundele further highlighted economic challenges, noting that delays in project execution and rising inflation worsened the situation. “In the last five years, prices have gone crazy, something I could have done in two years was delayed,” he said.
The EFCC, in its notice signed by spokesperson Dele Oyewale, described Ogundele as a 43-year-old from Ekiti State residing in Banana Island, Lagos, and urged Nigerians to provide any information about his location.
This declaration adds Ogundele to a growing list of high-profile Nigerians wanted by the EFCC, sparking debates on how the commission handles corruption allegations.
okay.ng reports that while some EFCC cases have led to lengthy trials, others have faded, raising concerns over transparency in the anti-corruption fight.