The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said people can escape accountability for almost any wrongdoing in Nigeria when they have strong political connections.
Sanusi made the remark during an interview with Channels Television in Lagos at the public presentation of Unexplained Wealth: A Trilogy of Nigerian Financial Law, a three-volume book authored by anti-corruption lawyer, Dr Wahab Shittu, SAN.
The Emir said there was a need to review Nigeria’s existing laws to identify gaps and strengthen efforts to tackle unexplained wealth and corruption.
“I think what Dr. Shittu has done is to look at the laws. I’m not a lawyer, I’m still an undergraduate law student and this would be something that I would find extremely useful in my studies, but clearly what he’s done is to create an analysis of what exists and also identify weaknesses and make proposals for what needs to be done to identify unexplained wealth and to also ensure that it is used as part of the war against corruption.”
However, Sanusi stressed that having effective laws was not enough, arguing that the institutions responsible for enforcing them must also function properly.
The Emir alleged that political influence could sometimes affect the handling of corruption cases in Nigeria. He cited the case of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai while discussing concerns over the application of legal processes in corruption matters.
“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.”
Sanusi said situations such as this could raise questions about whether corruption cases were being pursued fairly or whether political considerations were influencing the process.
“So people begin to wonder is this really a fight against corruption or is it a political battle?”
He called on politicians, public officials and members of the judiciary to ensure that laws were applied in line with the purposes for which they were enacted.
According to the Emir, legal reforms must be accompanied by efforts to strengthen the institutions responsible for enforcing the law.
“So the laws are one thing and I think it’s a good thing that we’re looking at the laws, but we also have to look at the institutions that are involved in the promotion of the law and that is how you make progress. Otherwise everyone knows that you can get away with anything if you have the right political connections.”
