Sanusi questions fairness of Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight, cites el-Rufai’s case

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has questioned the consistency of Nigeria’s anti-corruption campaign, alleging that political connections can influence the investigation and prosecution of corruption cases.

Sanusi also expressed concern over the continued detention and prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, saying the case could raise questions about whether anti-corruption laws are being applied consistently.

The emir spoke on Monday during an interview with Channels Television on the sidelines of the launch of The Unexplained Wealth Trilogy, written by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wahab Shittu, in Lagos.

Sanusi said having anti-corruption laws was not enough, arguing that the institutions responsible for investigating, prosecuting and adjudicating cases must also be strengthened and allowed to perform their duties effectively.

“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,” he said.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria alleged that some corruption cases had been dropped because suspects had political connections or belonged to influential political circles.

“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.

Sanusi said the manner in which some cases were being handled had prompted questions about whether the anti-corruption campaign was being pursued as a genuine effort to tackle corruption or being used against political opponents.