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‘You can’t lie your way out of our Smart School Money,’ Enugu Patriots blast Sujimoto
Enugu State Patriots, a group of leaders cutting across political and professional backgrounds, have accused the CEO of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Company Limited, Olasijibomi Ogundele, of lies and emotional manipulation to wriggle himself out of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) net.
The Enugu Patriots equally alerted the public to an alleged well-oiled smear campaign by Ogundele against the EFCC and Enugu State Government instead of coming clean on the facts of the allegation of laundering and diverting the sum of N5.7bn paid to him by the Enugu State Government for the construction of 22 out of the 260 Smart Green Schools embarked on by the Governor Peter Mbah Administration.
The group stated this in a press release issued by its spokesman, Prof. Martin Anikwe, in Enugu on Monday, urging Ogundele to “return Enugu State’s money and save Nigerians his endless theatrics, lies, and cheap blackmail aimed at currying public sympathies.”
The Enugu Patriots said, “We have observed a pattern in this whole Sujimoto episode. First, once he was declared wanted by the EFCC for failing to honour lawful invitations for several months, he put up an Oscar performance, shedding crocodile tears in a failed bid to win public sympathies.
“When he eventually submitted himself, his spin doctors alleged that he was not eating enough nourishing food at the EFCC detention facility, and was not allowed enough time with his doctors and lawyers.
“Next, he accused the EFCC and South East Zonal Director of bias and compromise.”
The group, however, maintained that Ogundele’s antics were “not any different from the culture of the Nigerian corrupt, who feign sickness, employ theatrics and cheap blackmail to evade justice.”
The group accused him of playing the victim in a straightforward case of refunding the N5.7bn received, maintaining that the reported tracing of the funds to his personal accounts and Lagos projects were in order and urged the EFCC to immediately commence assets forfeiture proceedings against the Sujimoto CEO to recover the funds.
“Ogundele, even by his personal admission in his initial video, accepted a N11.7bn contract in July 2024 to deliver 22 Smart Green Schools in six months – February 2025. He also received N5.7bn (tax inclusive), which is 50 percent of the contract sum.
“The question is, did he deliver on the projects? Did he even complete one out of the 22 projects? Did he also do any jobs remotely proportionate to money received? All he has to show for the N5.7bn are mostly foundation-level jobs done by quacks, as the pictures of the sites taken on 8th and 9th of May 2025 clearly show.
“Not only did he fail to deliver, he intentionally disappeared with the money and also refused to honour series of invitations by the Enugu State Government and subsequently by the EFCC.
“Meanwhile, the Smart Green Schools were intentionally designed to equip Enugu State’s children with 21st Century education and skill sets that would make them key players in the emerging global economy. In a country beleaguered by youth unemployment, internet fraud, and violent crimes, the real victims of Ogudele’s attempt to defraud Enugu State would be Enugu children and youths whom these projects would, in the nearest future, empower to be gainfully employed and kept away from a life of crime and criminality.
“Therefore, Ogundele should be made to refund the money to the last kobo,” the statement added.
The group, however, maintained its opposition to attempts to ethnicise and politicise the matter, insisting that “every Nigerian is free to secure and execute contracts in Enugu State, so long as he or she has the capacity.”
A teacher at Federal Government College, Anka, Mustapha Yahaya Maru, has reportedly been k!lled by armed band!ts despite the payment of ransom for his release.
Sahara Reporters reports that Maru was abducted early May while travelling to Anka in Zamfara State alongside several other passengers after their vehicle was intercepted by the attackers.
Following the abduction, the k!dnappers contacted his family and demanded a ransom far beyond their financial capacity.The report states that after intense efforts and negotiations, the family eventually raised and paid the agreed amount in hopes of securing his freedom.
Tragically, the bandits k!lled Maru on Tuesday instead of releasing him.
His de@th has thrown his family and the Maru community into mourning and has further heightened concerns over the worsening insecurity in the region.
The Presidency on Wednesday said social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM, should face the law over the circulation of an alleged fake audio purportedly involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated this in a post on X, accusing VDM of disseminating false content on social media.
“This VDM needs to face the weight of the law for being the conveyor and disseminator of a fake audio of President Tinubu. This is a clear case of an egregious abuse of the social media platform,” Onanuga wrote.
The presidential aide was reacting to a post by an X user, identified as Aneex, who questioned why some people believed the voice in the audio belonged to Tinubu.
The user described the audio as “cheap propaganda” and alleged that VDM was exploiting emotions to spread misinformation.
In the viral content, VeryDarkMan allegedly used the audio to call on Nigerians to reject President Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.
The development comes just days after President Tinubu secured the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress at the party’s nationwide direct primary held on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
During the exercise, Tinubu reportedly polled 10,999,162 votes, defeating his sole challenger, APC chieftain Stanley Osifo, who secured 16,503 votes from over 12 million registered party members.
Meanwhile, opposition figures are already positioning ahead of 2027, with Peter Obi expected to fly the flag of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is also expected to lead the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has felicitated Muslim faithful in the state and the nation as whole on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, urging unity, tolerance, sacrifice, and hope.
Mbah, in his Eid goodwill message on Tuesday, also called for charity, urging Nigerians to rise in solidarity with one another, especially the less privileged.
He said, “On the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, I extend warm felicitations to our Muslim brothers and sisters in Enugu State and across Nigeria as they commemorate this sacred festival of faith, sacrifice, and devotion to Almighty Allah.
“Eid-el-Kabir reminds us that sacrifice lies at the very heart of true service to God and humanity. It calls to mind the profound blessings inherent in the virtues of patience, obedience, trust, and unwavering faith – values exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim and which remain timeless lessons for us all.
“At a time when our nation continues to navigate important political and economic transitions, the significance of this celebration becomes even more profound.
“Let us be reminded that we all belong to one shared humanity and our collective progress as a people depends on our ability to uphold unity, mutual respect, peace, and compassion above all divisions.
“This season, therefore, offers us another opportunity to recommit ourselves to the ideals of tolerance, sacrifice for the common good, and solidarity with one another, especially the vulnerable among us.
“As we celebrate, I urge all citizens to continue to pray for the peace, stability, and prosperity of our dear state and nation. Let us also continue to work together in harmony to build a society defined by justice, opportunity, and shared progress for all.”
He concluded by wishing the Muslim faithful a peaceful and joyous Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
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