The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has raised serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria's anti-corruption campaign, alleging that political connections can shield suspects from prosecution while others remain detained without conviction. Speaking on Monday, September 28, during an interview with Channels Television on the sidelines of the Lagos launch of 'The Unexplained Wealth Trilogy', a book by senior advocate Wahab Shittu, Sanusi argued that passing anti-corruption legislation is only part of the solution, and that the institutions responsible for enforcing it matter just as much.
Sanusi on Laws and Institutions
According to Leadership Newspaper, Sanusi said: "The laws are one thing. Even the existing laws we have 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." The emir alleged that some suspects have walked free simply because of their political affiliations.
"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," he said. He added that the selective application of the law had led many Nigerians to question whether the anti-corruption drive is genuine.
El-Rufai's Detention as a Case in Point
Sanusi pointed to the ongoing detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who faces corruption and money laundering-related charges, as a case that has fuelled public doubt. "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 for anything, using the courts," he said.
He said such circumstances push ordinary Nigerians to ask deeper questions. "So people begin to wonder, is this really a fight against corruption, or is it a political battle?" he asked. The emir called on both politicians and the judiciary to apply the law as it was intended. "Now, 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 said.
Warning on Weak Enforcement
Sanusi also warned that weak enforcement creates an environment where wrongdoing goes unpunished. "Otherwise, anyone knows that you can get away with anything if you have the right political connections," he said. El-Rufai's legal battle continues, and the former minister has said the experience has changed his perspective on some of his relationships, particularly after a number of friends and associates went silent during his ordeal.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a source in the opposition privy to the ongoing developments confirmed that El-Rufai was not contesting any elective position in the 2027 election. The source said El-Rufai was only focused on mobilising against President Bola Tinubu's second-term agenda. One prominent associate of former vice president Atiku Abubakar, who contested the 2023 presidential election but lost to Tinubu, and now relating with El-Rufai, divulged that the ex-Kaduna governor is focused on sending Tinubu and his people back to Lagos.
