The Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, has raised concerns that political ties might affect how Nigeria deals with corruption cases. He is worried about the trustworthiness and fairness of the country’s anti-corruption agencies.
Mr Sanusi made these comments on Monday during an interview with Channels Television. This was at the launch of a book titled ‘The Unexplained Wealth Trilogy’ by Wahab Shittu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in Lagos.
He challenged the authenticity of some anti-corruption cases, pointing to the ongoing detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Mr Sanusi said that just making laws to fight corruption is not enough. He emphasized the need for strong, independent institutions that can investigate, prosecute, and judge cases fairly.
“The laws are one thing. Even the existing laws need to be implemented better. You have institutions that are supposed to identify corrupt people and prosecute them. You have courts that are supposed to do it,” Mr Sanusi explained.
He claimed that some corruption cases are dropped because the accused have political connections or belong to the “right political environment.”
Mr Sanusi noted that the way some cases are handled raises doubts about whether the anti-corruption effort is genuine or just a tool against political opponents.
“We have legal processes where people are questioning if, in fact, it is a fight against corruption or political persecution,” he stated.
“We have seen in this country people who are facing corruption charges who basically just get those charges dropped because they belong to the right political environment or have the right political support,” Mr Sanusi alleged.
He pointed out that such selective prosecution damages public trust in the rule of law.
Using Mr El-Rufai as an example, whom he referred to as his brother, the emir highlighted that the former governor has been in detention for seven months without being convicted of any crime.
“An example is my brother, Nasir El-Rufai, who’s been denied bail. He’s been in detention for seven months, not having been convicted of anything,” he said.
The emir warned that these actions make citizens question the fairness of legal processes.
“So people begin to wonder: is this really a fight against corruption, or is it a political battle?” he asked.
Mr Sanusi stressed that Nigeria will struggle to make real progress until political leaders and judicial authorities are committed to applying the law fairly instead of using it for political gain.
“Until the politicians and those who control political office and the judiciary decide that they are going to use these laws for the purpose for which they are set up, we’re not going to get anywhere,” he warned. He added that while legal reforms are good, institutions need to be empowered to enforce them without bias.
Mr El-Rufai is currently facing trial for corruption and money laundering charges, which he continues to contest in court.
Mr Sanusi’s comments come just days after Mr El-Rufai said many of his allies and associates have distanced themselves or stayed quiet since he was detained by the ICPC.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇