Will Kano anti-corruption agency still prosecute Sanusi?

There are indications that Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission will prosecute the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II over the alleged land racketeering to the tune of N1.2bn. The governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje has been at loggerhead with the deposed emir, which led to many probes against Sanusi II by […]

There are indications that Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission will prosecute the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II over the alleged land racketeering to the tune of N1.2bn.

The governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje has been at loggerhead with the deposed emir, which led to many probes against Sanusi II by the anti-graft commission and Kano state House of Assembly.

The governor also created additional four new emirates in the state during the feud. Sanusi was dethroned yesterday as the government accused him of disrespect to the governor and other authority in the state.

A source at the Commission confided in Daily Trust that there is every tendency that the commission would prosecute the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

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The source said, “The commission has filed an application for an exparte requesting for the vacation of the one earlier issued by a Federal High Court directing the commission to maintain the status quo.

“As soon as the order is vacated, the commission will continue with its investigation and at the end of it all, it will prosecute the deposed emir,” he said.

But another source countered, saying the dethronement of the emir and his banishment will lay to rest every accusation.

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“His removal is the climax of the dramas the Kano elite subjected Nigerians to. There is no way they will take Sanusi back to Kano to face any prosecution, it is not possible. I think everything has ended now,” he said.

A Federal High Court in Kano, last week, restrained the Commission from investigating Sanusi.

Recall that Daily Trust had exclusively obtained documents that showed that the emirate entered a joint venture partnership with a private firm, Capital Properties Nigeria Limited (CPNL), for the development of one of the lands known as (Gandun Sarki) at Hotoro, in Nassarawa Local Government Area of the state.

The deal with CPNL was reached through a six-member committee set up by the emirate under the chairmanship of Jarman Kano, Professor Isa Hashim to coordinate the transaction.

However, the commission told Daily Trust that it has arrested two members of the committee for “allegedly collecting N20m kickbacks and allegedly fronting for the emir and would be charged to court for extortion and collecting gratification.”

Gandun Sarki, according to tradition, is a farmland set aside by the emirate across the state for annual farming activities.

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Apart from the Hotoro property, the emirate was also alleged to have sold other properties located at Bubbugaje in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

It was alleged that the Gandun Sarki in Bubbugaje was sold to CPNL at the cost of N70m. It was further alleged that 406 plots were curved out and sold at the rate of N1.1m and N360,000 per plot depending on its size.

Daily Trust also gathered that the N70m realised from the Gandun Sarki in Bubbugaje was allegedly paid to the emirate’s official account after a deal was concluded between the company and the Professor Hashim-led committee.

READ: My dethronement ‘will be the best for us’ — Sanusi II

However, the Gandun Sarki in Hotoro was allegedly sold at N80m but only N55m was said to have been paid to the emirate.

While the anti-corruption is busy investigating the emir’s handling of Gandun Sarki, some people in the state accused it of turning a blind eye to a portion of the lucrative Kofar Mata annual Eid prayer ground that was sold a few years ago.

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The popular Eid ground located close to the Kwari market in Kano metropolis was shared by the emirate and Ganduje’s government during their heyday. While some plots were sold to private individuals, others were allegedly shared to governing APC politicians and top government officials.

The Executive Director Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability (CADA), Comrade Sa’idu Dakata, told Daily Trust that by law, the commission has a right to investigate the emir, his council or any other government agency, but it shouldn’t be a one-way affair.

The governor has been at loggerhead with Emir Sanusi and many see this as a continuation of the initial crisis that led to the creation of additional four new emirates in the state.