Emir Sanusi alleges partiality in the anti-corruption war, detention of El-Rufai

The Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, has alleged that political connections may influence how Nigeria handles corruption cases, raising doubts about the credibility and fairness of the nation’s anti-corruption agencies.

Mr Sanusi spoke on Monday in an interview with Channels Television on the sidelines of the launch of a book, ‘The Unexplained Wealth Trilogy’, by Wahab Shittu, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in Lagos.

He questioned the genuineness of certain anti-corruption cases, citing the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

Mr Sanusi stated that merely enacting laws to combat corruption is insufficient. In addition, he stressed the need for strong, independent institutions capable of investigating, prosecuting, and adjudicating cases impartially.

“The laws are one thing. Even the existing laws 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,” Mr Sanusi said.

He alleged that some corruption cases have been dropped because the suspects had political connections or belonged to the “right political environment”.

Mr Sanusi said the handling of some cases had also raised questions about whether the anti-corruption campaign is being pursued consistently or used against political opponents.

“We have legal processes where people are questioning if, in fact, it is a fight against corruption or political persecution,” he said.

“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,” Mr Sanusi alleged.

He noted that such selective prosecution undermines public confidence in the rule of law.

Citing the treatment of Mr El-Rufai—whom he referred to as his brother—the emir pointed out that the former governor remains in detention despite not being convicted of any crime.

“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 of anything,” he said.

The emir warned that such practices lead citizens to question the integrity of legal proceedings.

“So people begin to wonder: is this really a fight against corruption, or is it a political battle?” he asked.

Mr Sanusi asserted that Nigeria will fail to make meaningful progress until political leaders and judicial authorities commit to applying the law strictly for its intended purpose rather than as a tool for political expediency.

“Until the politicians and those who control political office and the judiciary decide that they are going to use these laws for the purpose for which they are set up, we’re not going to get anywhere,” he warned, adding that while legal reforms are welcome, institutions must be empowered to enforce them without bias.

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Mr El-Rufai is currently facing trial over allegations of corruption and money laundering—charges he continues to contest in court.

Mr Sanusi’s remarks come days after Mr El-Rufai said many of his allies and associates whom he had supported in the past distanced themselves or remained conspicuously silent since he was detained by the ICPC.