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The Enugu State Government has recovered ₦1.28 billion from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd after investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered the alleged diversion of funds allocated for Smart Green Schools across the state.
The EFCC handed over the recovered sum on Wednesday at its Enugu Zonal Office. The money represents payments made for projects that the company allegedly abandoned or failed to execute substantially. Governor Peter Mbah’s media office confirmed that the restitution comprised bank drafts and cheques.
While presenting the cheques, the EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, said the recovery aligned with the Commission’s statutory duty to trace, recover and return public funds lost to economic and financial crimes. He explained that the investigation began after the Enugu State Government submitted a formal petition.
Ise disclosed that the EFCC recovered ₦1,234,350,000 in bank drafts and an additional ₦50 million, bringing the total to ₦1,284,350,000. He credited the progress to the diligence and professionalism of EFCC investigators but stressed that the handover did not mark the end of the case.
He assured the public that investigations would continue until officials examined every aspect of the petition and recovered any additional unaccounted funds. Where evidence establishes criminal conduct, he said, the Commission will proceed with prosecution. Ise also warned contractors handling public projects to comply strictly with existing laws, particularly the Public Procurement Act, and emphasised that accountability remains non-negotiable.
Receiving the cheques on behalf of the state, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, praised the EFCC for its professionalism and resilience despite public distractions surrounding the matter. He said the recovery demonstrated the Mbah administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of public funds.
Onyia added that the government would reinvest the recovered funds in critical infrastructure projects to improve residents’ welfare. He noted that the state approached the EFCC after identifying a disconnect between its development goals and project delivery, and affirmed the government’s resolve to hold defaulting contractors accountable as investigations continue.
