Kano State House of Assembly institutes probe against Emir Sanusi Mohammed

EMIR of Kano Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II is facing further tough times following the recent decision by the Kano State House of Assembly to set up an eight-man committee to investigate allegations of corruption against him.

Over recent weeks, Emir Sanusi has been in the eye of a storm after criticising the conservatism of the establishment across northern Nigeria and objecting to their outdated ways of practising Islam. This has attracted criticism and attacks from several quarters and allegations that the emir abused his office misappropriating funds belonging to the Kano Emirate Council.

Despite calls from several governors across northern Nigeria for an end to the spat, the probe has begun. Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, the speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly who presided over a plenary session yesterday, constituted the panel following a point of order raised by the member representing the Nasarawa constituency, Hon Ibrahim Ahmad Gama.

Hon Gana alleged that Emir Sanusi had spread false information about a trip by the Kano State governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to China recently to hold discussions on a light rail project in the state. He also insisted that the statement attributed to the emir was capable of tarnishing the governor’s image, the state government and that of the assembly.

“The emir during his speech in Kaduna, alleged that the Kano State governor and his entourage, including me as the chairman of the House Committee on Works, wasted one month in China seeking for a loan to construct the light rail project. The emir’s statement was not true, we spent only four days in China and our visit was to find out the capacity of the company to handle the rail project," Hon Gana added.

He also took a swipe at the emir for sending his daughter to represent him at a function organised by the Bring Back Our Girls group in Abuja, describing it as inimical to the tradition of the emirate council. According to Hon Gama, the mode of dressing by the Emir’s daughter during the programme also caused embarrassment to the emirate council and the tradition of Kano people because she failed to wear the full traditional regalia.

In addition, he also accused Emir Sanusi of introducing religious views that are contrary to the teachings of Islam, saying such things were capable of undermining the religion. Hon Gama further accused Emir Sanusi of getting involved in political issues, the misappropriation of the emirate council’s funds and making statements against President Muhammadu Buhari.

After making his case, the Kano State House of Assembly set up a committee to investigate the allegations, which was given two weeks to report back. This eight-member committee will be headed by the chief whip of the house, Alhaji Labaran Abdul.

Outspoken Emir Sanusi has come under fire in recent weeks for criticising northern leaders and the establishment in the region for holding on to conservative Islamic values, which he said has stunted development across the region. He has also advocated against child marriage and counselled against Muslim men marrying more than a wife when their finances cannot support a polygamous marriage.

Furthermore, the emir was also critical of the Zamfara State governor Abdulaziz Yari after he said God was punishing people in his state for their sins through the meningitis outbreak. Even though Governor Yari fired back at the emir, the Kano Emirate Council, which Emir Sanusi chairs has come under the searchlight of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission.