Sujimoto CEO Olasijibomi Ogundele Breaks Silence, Denies EFCC Allegations in Emotional Video

Olasijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction, has responded to the EFCC’s declaration of him as wanted over alleged diversion of funds and money laundering, addressing the claims in an emotional video.

Tearfully, Ogundele recounted his dealings with the Enugu State Government, insisting he is “not a thief and not a fugitive.” He explained, “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 were very interesting. I was going to the state every week. In the middle of the project, they said they wanted to build a city and the tallest building in Nigeria, a 69-story building. I designed it and gave it to them.”

He said he was also asked to assist with constructing schools, despite the cost being far lower than what was required. “I told the government this project is impossible because of the pricing. The government said, ‘Don’t worry, just help me do these schools, and later you make money from the other projects.’ I mobilized 42 engineers, took a house in the state, and went to work. I was traveling from Enugu to different local governments, even after I had an accident and broke my back,” he said.

Ogundele also described the security challenges he faced while executing the projects. “Sometimes we were in villages where my staff had been shot at. People would bring guns and shoot at them. I was still there, working every day,” he said.

He said tensions with the government eventually arose. “Things went sour between myself and the government. If I had money, I would have continued the project, but I had other projects and stress from them. They took me to court instead of assessing how much we had spent on the projects. We told the court we didn’t want to fight and were ready to agree on what we owed, but now they declared me wanted, destroyed my company, and built me a narrative,” he explained.

Ogundele emphasized that he intends to return to Enugu to clear his name. “I’m going to the office to clear my name. Prices have just gone crazy in the last two to three years. If my projects were delayed, it’s not because of me—it’s because of circumstances beyond my control,” he said.

The EFCC has urged anyone with information about Ogundele to come forward, as investigations continue. His company, Sujimoto Luxury Construction, is well-known for luxury developments in Lagos, including projects on Banana Island and Ikoyi.