Sanusi Raises Alarm Over Political Interference in Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Fight

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has criticised the enforcement of anti-corruption laws in Nigeria, warning that political connections can protect individuals from facing the consequences of alleged corruption.

Sanusi said the country would struggle to make meaningful progress in tackling corruption unless law enforcement agencies, anti-corruption institutions and the judiciary were allowed to operate independently, without political interference.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria made the remarks during an interview with Channels Television, where he expressed concern over the influence of political affiliations on corruption-related cases.

According to Sanusi, there have been instances in which individuals facing corruption charges had their cases dropped because of their political connections or affiliations.

“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,” Sanusi said.

He maintained that reviewing or strengthening anti-corruption laws alone would not address the problem if the institutions responsible for enforcing them remained vulnerable to political influence.

Sanusi stressed that agencies tasked with investigating and prosecuting corruption cases, alongside the courts, must be empowered to carry out their constitutional responsibilities effectively.

“We have institutions that are supposed to identify corrupt people and prosecute them. You have courts that are supposed to do it,” he said.

The Kano monarch also raised concerns about the handling of some corruption cases, noting that the circumstances surrounding certain prosecutions had prompted questions about whether they were genuine efforts to fight corruption or cases of political persecution.

He argued that politicians, public office holders and individuals with influence over the judiciary must ensure that existing laws are applied for their intended purposes.

“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 said.

Sanusi added that Nigeria’s anti-corruption strategy should focus not only on legislation but also on strengthening the institutions responsible for implementing the laws.

“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 enforcement of the law, and that is the only way we make progress,” he said.

He warned that without stronger and more independent institutions, political influence could continue to undermine efforts to tackle corruption.

“Otherwise anyone knows that you can get away with anything if you have the right political connections,” Sanusi said.