N3.4bn allegedly misappropriated by Kano Emirate Council under Sanusi

Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission has revealed that it uncovered over N3.4 billion allegedly misappropriated by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II between 2014 and 2017.

In a preliminary report of investigation conducted by the commission and signed by its Chairman, Muhuyi Magaji, four cardinal issues bordering on indictments, amount involved, obstruction of investigation and recommendations was raised.

The investigation follows a petition of financial misappropriation levelled against Kano Emirate Council under the present Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II.

According to this interim report, the Kano Emirate Council spent over N1.4 billion in various expenditures believed to be fraudulent and unappropriated.

It was also alleged that the Council spent over N1.9 billion unappropriated on seemingly personal expenditures, making the total sum of the questionable expenses.

The expenditures were said to have 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.

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It also violated Section 314 of Penal Code as well as provisions of Section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).

The report read: “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 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 said.

It 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.

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

It also recommended that appropriate authority should be put in place to oversee the affairs of the Emirate Council, adding that further legal action should be taken against all suspects as soon as the final outcome of the investigations were concluded and legal advice accordingly issued.

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