The Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged diversion of N5.7 billion reportedly belonging to the Enugu State Government.

Ogundele was interrogated for several hours at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, amid signs he could be detained. As of 8pm, sources said questioning was still ongoing.

In connection with the investigation, the EFCC has frozen all his bank accounts, as well as those of his construction company.

The anti-graft agency has also seized his international passport to restrict his movement while the probe continues.

The case stems from an over N11 billion contract awarded to Ogundele’s firm by the Enugu State Government.

Initially, the state approved 30 percent upfront payment, but Ogundele reportedly requested 50 percent, pledging to fast-track project delivery.

Based on that assurance, the government released N5.7 billion, half of the contract sum.

However, the Enugu State Government now claims that the value of the work done on site amounts to only about N750 million, with Ogundele allegedly abandoning the project and refusing to return.

Following repeated unsuccessful attempts to get him to respond, the state filed a petition with the EFCC.

When Ogundele failed to honour the EFCC’s initial invitation, he was declared wanted.

Before he eventually surrendered, investigators, along with officials from the Enugu State Government, reportedly inspected the project site to assess the level of work done.

An EFCC source confirmed his surrender on Monday, stating:

“The Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited has surrendered to our commission and we immediately took him into custody.”

“For more than 10 hours, we have been questioning him based on the petition of the Enugu State Government.”

“We have frozen all his accounts and that of his company pending the conclusion of preliminary investigation. We will also seize his passport to restrict his movement to the country.”

The source further added “We are still interrogating him, we are yet to admit him to bail.”

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development, saying “Our investigators were still grilling him.”

Following the EFCC’s declaration that he was wanted, Sijibomi Ogundele appeared in a video posted online, emotionally addressing the allegations.

In the video, he tearfully defended himself, stating that the situation stemmed from a contractual disagreement, not fraud:

“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 was very interesting. I was going to the state every week.”

Ogundele has vowed to clear his name and insists he is not guilty of any criminal conduct.

Source: The Nation

A retired Major-General and former Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), U.M. Mohammed, has approached the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to overturn a final forfeiture order secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over shares worth N5 billion allegedly linked to him.

In a motion filed by his legal counsel, Lekan Ojo (SAN), the retired general argued that the court order was obtained without granting him a fair hearing, claiming that neither he nor his lawyer received any notice of the proceedings that led to the forfeiture.

“The failure to serve hearing notice amounts to a violation of the constitutional right to fair hearing,” the motion read.

According to an affidavit deposed to by Joseph Effiong, Mohammed stated that an affidavit showing cause, which he submitted on July 29, 2025, was before the court but was ignored during the August 26 sitting when the final forfeiture was granted.

Mohammed also accused the EFCC of not adhering to Section 17 of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022, which mandates that interested parties be given an opportunity to be heard.

He further pointed out that the commission failed to apply for the final forfeiture order within the 60-day window following the interim order issued on May 7, 2025.

The retired general questioned why the case, which had been adjourned to October 8, was abruptly reassigned to a vacation judge without prior notice to him or his legal team.

He is seeking a court order to nullify all proceedings held on August 26, including the forfeiture order, in Suit No: FHC/L/MISC/404/.

Mohammed maintains that the shares in question were not acquired through fraudulent means, asserting that the investments spanning companies such as Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Conoil Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, and others, were made between 2007 and 2015, well before he assumed leadership of NAPL in October 2015.

The EFCC, however, alleged that the shares were purchased with funds illicitly diverted from the sale of NAPL properties and laundered through investments in blue-chip firms.

The agency secured the forfeiture order under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

The court has yet to fix a date for hearing Mohammed’s application.

Gunmen suspected to be Fulani bandits, dressed in military camouflage, launched a violent attack on an 18-seater Toyota bus in Aku village, along the Okene–Lokoja Federal Highway in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The attack occurred on Monday afternoon, between 3:00 PM and 3:15 PM, according to a statement released by Ibrahim Omeiza Sani, the Controller-General of the Kogi State Vigilante Service (KSVS).

The bus, with registration number Benue DAP 325 LG, was ambushed during its journey, resulting in the abduction of three passengers.

Sani confirmed that KSVS operatives from the Osara Command, supported by six local hunters, responded swiftly and engaged the attackers in a gun duel.

“Although the suspects managed to escape into the forest with three kidnapped passengers, the bus driver and three others were successfully rescued,” he stated.

Tragically, a bystander was hit by a stray bullet during the confrontation and died on the spot.

The vigilante service said it is actively gathering intelligence and working to track down the kidnappers for the safe release of the remaining victims.

Sani praised the bravery of his personnel and the local hunters, acknowledging their swift response under pressure.

He also commended Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, for his continued support and commitment to state security and applauded Jerry Omodara, the State Security Adviser, for his constant collaboration with the vigilante service.

The Controller-General urged his men to intensify their efforts and ensure that all criminal elements, especially kidnappers, are brought to justice.

He reaffirmed the KSVS’s commitment to working closely with other security agencies to reduce insecurity across the state.

Sani also called on residents to remain vigilant and security conscious, urging the public to report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.

This attack comes just days after David Akpa, the District Head of Bagaji Odo in Omala LGA, who was kidnapped on September 1, 2025, was confirmed to have regained his freedom.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has launched an investigation following the discovery of a decomposed body inside a vehicle parked within the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

According to preliminary information, the lifeless body believed to be that of a labourer or construction worker was discovered on Sunday, September 7th, at approximately 9:00 am, inside a red Peugeot 406 with registration number BWR-577 BF, parked at a construction site within the complex.

Though unconfirmed by police, earlier media reports had identified the deceased as 55-year-old Gaddafi Iwar, a construction worker who had been missing for several days.

The vehicle in which he was found had reportedly remained in the same position for an extended period, raising suspicion.

In an official statement released on Monday, FCT Police Spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh confirmed the incident.

She stated that officers from the National Assembly Division responded swiftly to a distress call and evacuated the body to Asokoro General Hospital, where medical officials verified that it was already in an advanced state of decomposition.

“On September 7, 2025, at about 09:00 hours, the FCT Police Command received a distress call reporting the discovery of an unidentified male, suspected to be a labourer, found lifeless at a construction site within the National Assembly Complex,” the statement read.

“The body was discovered inside a red Peugeot 406 and was promptly moved to the hospital, where medical personnel confirmed its condition.”

In response to the incident, FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, has ordered a discreet and thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of death.

The police are also working to confirm the deceased’s identity.

“The Commissioner has directed that efforts be intensified to identify the deceased and uncover the full circumstances surrounding the incident. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” Adeh stated.

This development follows another recent incident involving a suspected suicide in the Kagini–Dei-Dei area of Abuja, where a 30-year-old man, Ik Ojo, was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

That case is also under active investigation, with community members suspecting foul play.