The Enugu State Government has successfully retrieved ₦1.28 billion from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd. following investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into the alleged misappropriation of funds intended for the construction of Smart Green Schools in the state.

The recovered sum, representing payments made to the company for projects that were either abandoned or largely unexecuted, was officially returned to the state government on Wednesday at the EFCC Enugu Zonal Office.

The restitution was effected through a combination of cheques and bank drafts, according to a statement from Governor Peter Mbah’s media office.

Presenting the cheques, EFCC Enugu Zonal Director Daniel Ise stated that the recovery fulfilled the Commission’s statutory mandate to trace, recover, and return public funds lost to economic and financial crimes.

Ise explained that the recovery followed a petition submitted by the Enugu State Government, which prompted a comprehensive investigation.

“As of today, we have recovered drafts amounting to ₦1,234,350,000 and an additional ₦50,000,000, bringing the total recovery to ₦1,284,350,000 for the benefit of the Enugu State Government,” Ise said.

He credited the progress to the diligence and professionalism of EFCC investigators.

Ise, however, clarified that the handover does not mark the end of the investigation.

He assured that inquiries would continue until all aspects of the petition are thoroughly examined, adding that any further unaccounted funds would also be traced and recovered.

He emphasized that where evidence of criminal conduct is found, the Commission would not hesitate to prosecute in accordance with the law.

Ise further warned contractors managing public projects to strictly comply with existing regulations, particularly the Public Procurement Act, stressing that accountability in government contract execution is non-negotiable.

Receiving the cheques on behalf of the state government, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, praised the EFCC for its professionalism and resilience amid public distractions surrounding the matter.

Onyia said the recovery demonstrates the Enugu State Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the responsible use of public funds under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration.

He assured that the recovered funds would be reinvested in key infrastructure projects to enhance residents’ welfare.

“When we noticed a misalignment between our developmental objectives and project delivery, we approached the EFCC to help recover the funds,” he said, adding that investigations are ongoing and that the government remains determined to hold all defaulting contractors accountable.

The Supreme Court has officially brought an end to the murder trial of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (rtd), the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, in connection with the killing of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the late businessman and politician Chief MKO Abiola, who was widely regarded as the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, was murdered in Lagos amid the nationwide unrest that followed the annulment.

Her killing occurred during her determined campaign to have the military overturn the annulment.

The Supreme Court, in a hearing on Thursday led by Justice Uwani Aba-Aji and a five-member panel, dismissed the case, which had been brought by Lagos State, as the government failed to prosecute it after more than a decade.

At the scheduled session to resume the trial, no representatives from Lagos State appeared, and no filings had been made since 2014, when the apex court had granted the state permission to reopen the case.

Al-Mustapha’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Paul Daudu, informed the Court that Lagos State had not taken any action to comply with the 2014 order.

“Not even a notice of appeal has been filed by Lagos as the appellant to demonstrate its seriousness in prosecuting the trial,” he stated.

Daudu explained that Lagos State had been given a 30-day deadline to file its notice of appeal after the order to reopen the trial was granted.

Over 11 years later, no steps had been taken. He urged the Court to rule that the state had abandoned the case and that it should be dismissed entirely.

Justice Aba-Aji confirmed that Lagos State had been served with the hearing notice, as verified by the Court Registrar. In its ruling, the Supreme Court agreed unanimously that the state had shown a lack of interest and had effectively abandoned the prosecution.

The Court noted that nine years was ample time for Lagos State to submit a notice of appeal and related documents. It further criticized the absence of legal representation from the state government and the failure to provide any information to the Court or the respondent, despite being served with the hearing notice since 2020.

Consequently, the case recorded as SC/CR/45/2014 was dismissed. A related matter filed by the Lagos governor, SC/CR/6/2014, was also dismissed on the same grounds.

The Supreme Court had previously, in 2014, granted Lagos State permission to reopen the case to challenge the July 12, 2013 Court of Appeal decision that had discharged and acquitted Al-Mustapha.

The then Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, directed a seven-member panel to allow the state 30 days to file its notice of appeal.

This followed Al-Mustapha’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu SAN, consenting not to oppose Lagos State’s application, which was presented by Osunsanya Oluwayemisi, a Senior State Counsel in the Lagos Ministry of Justice.

Justice Onnoghen had ruled that the time for Lagos to appeal the Court of Appeal’s verdict, delivered on July 12, 2013, was extended until January 7, 2014. This gave Lagos State the opportunity to contest the not-guilty verdict in favor of Al-Mustapha.

In seeking to reopen the trial, Lagos State had requested the Supreme Court’s permission to file a late notice of appeal, citing miscarriage of justice.

The government argued it sought to exercise its constitutional right to test the correctness of the Court of Appeal judgment and intended to raise legal and factual issues, particularly regarding whether there was any evidence, direct or circumstantial, linking Al-Mustapha to the murder.

The state explained that delays in filing the appeal were caused by the formation of two legal teams to review the case and the appellate judgment. It said the teams needed time to assess the situation and recommend whether an appeal could be filed successfully.

Lagos State intended to ask the Supreme Court to overturn the Court of Appeal’s acquittal and restore the death sentence imposed on Al-Mustapha by a Lagos High Court on January 30, 2012.

Al-Mustapha, Mohammed Abacha, and Lateef Shofolahan had initially been arraigned before a Lagos High Court on charges of conspiracy and murder of Kudirat Abiola, who was killed on June 4, 1996.

On January 30, 2012, Justice Moji Dada ruled that all three were guilty as charged and sentenced them to death by hanging.

However, in April 2012, Al-Mustapha appealed the decision. On July 12, 2013, the Court of Appeal, in a unanimous verdict, overturned the High Court’s ruling, discharging and acquitting the accused due to insufficient evidence to sustain the death sentence.

The Federal Government has announced that it has released N152bn to contractors for verified contracts, even as protests over unpaid bills continue.

In a statement on Thursday, the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite, said the payments were made after strict verification procedures in accordance with existing laws and regulations.

Uzoka-Anite acknowledged that the Federal Ministry of Finance is aware of the financial difficulties contractors have faced due to delayed payments and assured that the ministry will continue processing all valid payment requests.

“I wish to confirm that the Federal Ministry of Finance has disbursed a total of N152bn to contractors for verified contracts,” she said in a statement posted on her X (formerly Twitter) page.

“Every payment undergoes rigorous verification in accordance with extant laws and regulations, ensuring the protection of taxpayers’ funds and upholding accountability and transparency.

“The Ministry acknowledges the financial pressures that delays in payment may have placed on contractors. We remain committed to continuous dialogue and engagement, seeking effective resolutions to all conflicts,” the statement added.

Since 2025, local contractors have staged protests over what they described as a growing backlog of unpaid bills for projects executed for the Federal Government.

Operating under the All Indigenous Contractors Association of Nigeria, the protesters have at various times blocked the gates of the Ministry of Finance and the National Assembly complex to press their demands.

In December 2025, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a multi-ministerial committee to address the dispute, with outstanding claims estimated at around N1.5tn.

Members of the committee include the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the Director-General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu; the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi; the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa; and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji.

A Senate committee also invited Edun to explain the circumstances surrounding the delayed payments.

The protests intensified on Monday when contractors blocked the gates of the Federal Ministry of Finance, preventing Uzoka-Anite from entering the complex.

The situation escalated into a scuffle between security personnel assigned to the minister and the protesters, during which a gunshot was reportedly fired as security tried to disperse the crowd.

The Federal Government budgeted N1.7tn in the 2026 Appropriation Bill to settle outstanding debts owed to contractors for capital projects executed in 2024.

A breakdown of the proposed 2026 national budget shows that this amount is listed under the line item titled “Provision for 2024 Outstanding Contractor’s Liabilities,” reflecting official acknowledgment of delayed payments amid recent protests.

This budget allocation comes after increasing pressure from indigenous contractors and civil society groups in 2025 over unpaid contractual obligations.

In addition to the N1.7tn for 2024 liabilities, the government has budgeted N100bn for a separate item labelled “Payment of Local Contractors’ Debts/Other Liabilities,” which may cover legacy debts from prior years, smaller contract claims, or unsettled obligations not fully verified in the current audit cycle.

The total N1.8tn allocation forms part of the broader N23.2tn capital expenditure in the 2026 fiscal plan, aimed at accelerating infrastructure delivery while addressing past payment arrears.

The Chairman of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area in Ogun State, Dare Alebiosun, has instructed the Fusengbuwa Ruling House and the Awujale kingmakers to pause the ongoing selection of a new Awujale of Ijebuland.

This directive comes after the local government reportedly received petitions, security reports, and complaints from concerned parties, which included allegations of irregularities and inducement in the selection process.

The decision was communicated in a letter dated January 20, 2026, addressed to the Awujale Kingmakers’ Council and signed by the Secretary to the Local Government Chairman, Oke Adebanjo.

According to the letter, the action was taken after careful consideration of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, which gives the government the authority to overturn an appointment if deemed necessary for peace, order, and good governance.

“In taking this decision, government has had due regard to the provisions of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State, 2021, which empower it to set aside an appointment if the Executive Council is satisfied that it is in the interest of peace, order and good government to do so,” the letter stated.

The letter further explained that, based on available reports, the local government chose to act proactively and without delay to prevent any potential disruption of peace and to safeguard the revered traditional institution of the Ijebu Kingdom.

As a result, the local government has instructed the kingmakers to immediately halt the Awujale selection process and await further directives on when it may resume.

The letter did not provide specific details regarding the petitions or security reports that led to this decision.