The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has taken a hard look at Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, alleging that political connections can decide whether a case is pursued or quietly dropped.
Sanusi spoke on Monday during an interview with Channels Television on the sidelines of the launch of The Unexplained Wealth Trilogy, a book by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Wahab Shittu, held in Lagos, according to a report by The Cable on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
He argued that the country’s problem is not a lack of laws but the failure of institutions to apply them properly.
According to the emir, the bodies handling investigation, prosecution and adjudication carry a heavy responsibility to follow established legal procedures.
He said the fight against corruption can only be credible when those institutions act consistently and independently.
Sanusi alleged that some cases had been shelved because the suspects had political connections or belonged to what he called the “right political environment.”
Such outcomes, he warned, could weaken public confidence in the institutions tasked with fighting corruption.
He also questioned whether the anti-corruption drive is applied evenly across cases involving people from different political camps.
The emir’s remarks extended to the case of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, who faces allegations relating to corruption and money laundering.
He stressed that existing laws must be enforced without letting political considerations dictate how cases are handled.
On El-Rufai’s detention, Sanusi said, “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.”