Sijibomi Ogundele, the embattled Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, has publicly addressed his recent declaration as a wanted man by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of money laundering and diversion of funds.
In a heartfelt video circulating online, the Lagos-based real estate mogul tearfully denied being a “thief or fugitive” and pledged to visit the EFCC to clear his name.
Ogundele said it was a case of a deal gone bad, promising to visit the anti-graft agency to clear his name.
He said: “I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is a contract between my company and the Enugu State Government. The Enugu State Government asked me to help them build a couple of things, which were 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.
“I was in agreement with the government after they took us to court. Now they declared me wanted, and they destroyed the company that I built. I am going to the EFCC office to clear my name. In the last five years, prices have gone crazy; something I could have done in two years was delayed.”
The New Diplomat reports that this comes after Ogundele was declared wanted in a notice signed by EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.
The notice stated: “The public is hereby notified that Olasijibomi Ogundele of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in an alleged case of diversion of funds and money laundering.
“Ogundele is a 44-year-old indigene of Ori-Ade Local Government Area of Osun State. His last known address is: G29, Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
“Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja offices, or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: [email protected], or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”
