Emir Sanusi recommended for suspension over alleged N3.4b fraud

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission has recommended the suspension of Muhammadu Sanusi, the emir of Kano.

The commission which said it has been investigating alleged misappropriation said it uncovered that N3.4 billion was misspent by the emirate under Sanusi.

The amount was said to have been misappropriated between 2014 and 2017. 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), this is contained in a preliminary report of the investigation conducted by the commission and signed by Muhuyi Magaji, its chairman.

The interim report raised four cardinal issues bordering on indictments, the amount involved, obstruction of investigation and recommendations.

The report indicated that the Kano emirate council had spent over N1.4 billion in various expenditures believed to be fraudulent and unappropriated.

In addition, the emirate council was alleged to have spent over N1.9 billion unappropriated on seemingly personal expenditures, making the total sum of the questionable expenditures.

According to the report, the expenditures contravened the provisions of section 120 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 8 of the Kano state emirate council special fund law 2004.

Similarly, the expenditure had also violated Section 314 of the penal code as well as provisions of section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).

"It is also the opinion of this Commission, based on the available evidence, that Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II continued to undermine the investigation through various means which include giving instruction to all officers invited for clarification to shun the commission’s invitation,” the report read.

“The act is seriously affecting the process of our statutory responsibility and offends the provisions of Section 25 of the Commission’s enabling Law 2008 (as amended)."

 The report, therefore, recommended that the “principal suspect in the person of Muhammadu Sanusi II and all other suspects connected with the case be suspended, pending the final outcome of the investigations”.

“This is a necessary administrative disciplinary action aimed at preventing the suspects from further interfering with the commission’s investigations,” it read.

“The commission further recommends that the contract awarded to Tri-C Nigeria Limited for the renovation of Babban Daki, Kofar Kudu and Gidan Sarki Dorayi should be revoked as the company belongs to one of the suspects in the person of Alhaji Mannir Sanusi, (The Chief of Staff in the Emirate)."