TheCable

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, says the state will continue with its probe of Muhammadu Sanusi II, deposed emir of Kano. 

After Sanusi fell out with the governor, the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission accused him of financial misappropriation.

He was subsequently dethroned in March. 

A federal high court in Kano had restrained the state from probing the then emir, but at an interactive session with journalists on Monday, said Sanusi still has a case to answer and he would be prosecuted if found wanting. 

“When we wanted to bring on board reform to our traditional institution, the former emir did not cooperate with the process of reform. The process was truncated, so the only option for him was to find his way out. And that was what happened,” he said.

“That time there was this so-called Kano Elders Forum that tried to also frustrate the reform process. Their case was squashed by another court of competent jurisdiction.

“In the absence of all legal issues, the probe will continue. When he took them to court to stop the agency from probing him, the case was quashed. So they will continue probing him according to the set down law.

“The reform of the traditional institution was the sole aim of trickling down development to other parts of the state, particularly the communities that house the new emirates, that they were created.” 

The governor said the state’s anti-graft agency will now have a hitch-free legal exercise as there is no pending case before the court to challenge the emir’s probe. 

He said his administration split the emirate into five to bring  development across the state. 

Ganduje had in May appointed four new emirs in Bichi, Gaya, Rano, and Karaye, reducing the influence of Sanusi who was then emir of Kano. 

After being dethroned, Sanusi was banished to Awe in Nasarawa state, but he later moved to Lagos.