What Happened Today Between EFCC and Sujimoto CEO

The ongoing face-off between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Construction Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, took another turn today as the luxury real estate mogul declared he would present himself to the anti-graft agency to clear his name.

This development comes barely 24 hours after the EFCC declared Ogundele wanted over alleged money laundering and diversion of funds. In its official notice, the agency, through its spokesperson Dele Oyewale, described Ogundele as a 43-year-old native of Ekiti State residing in Banana Island, Lagos, and appealed to the public for information on his whereabouts.

But in a video released today, Ogundele insisted he was innocent of the allegations, describing the situation as a misunderstanding arising from a contract with the Enugu State Government.

“I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. I am going to the EFCC office, to clear my name,” Ogundele said emotionally.

The real estate developer explained that the dispute began during a project in Enugu, where his company was engaged for construction works. According to him, midway into the project, the state government expanded the contract to include an ambitious plan for a new city and what was described as the tallest building in Nigeria.

“This is a contract between my company and the Enugu State Government. I was going to the state every week. But in the middle of the project, the governor said he wanted to build a city and the tallest building in Nigeria,” he narrated.

Ogundele added that the project later became embroiled in legal battles. “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.

He also blamed inflation and delays for worsening the controversy, noting that what should have been a two-year project dragged on for over five years due to skyrocketing costs.

The EFCC’s action against Ogundele has attracted wide attention, with the Sujimoto CEO now joining a growing list of high-profile Nigerians declared wanted by the anti-graft body. While some of such cases have led to prolonged trials, others have fizzled out, sparking debates over EFCC’s handling of corruption allegations.

As the drama unfolds, all eyes will be on whether Ogundele makes good on his vow to appear before the EFCC and how the case will shape public perception of both the developer and the anti-graft agency.