Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has dismissed allegations by Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission about misappropriation of funds of about N3.5 billion in Kano Emirate.
The anti-graft agency had recommended Sanusi’s suspension to the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.
In a 10-page defence signed by the acting secretary of Kano Emirate Council, Abba Yusuf and obtained by ThisDay on Thursday, Sanusi said no money was missing under his watch.
The document which carried no date was titled “Kano Emirate Council Secretariat, Without Prejudice”.
In the document, the monarch addressed matters differently from his response to the query by Ganduje.
Among several allegations, Sanusi denied misappropriated N3.5 billion between 2014 and 2017.
“This allegation and other similar ones have been refuted since 2017 by the Walin Kano, Controller of Finance, Kano Emirate Council. The total amount in the Emirate Council, when Emir Muhammad Sanusi II was appointed was N1.8 billion.
“The Councillor, Controller of Finance… has given clear explanations refuting allegations of irregular expenditure by the council,” the emir said.
He also denied that the emirate council spent over N360 million for the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in the palace.
“It should, however, be noted that only two CCTV surveillance systems were installed in both the Main and Nasarawa Palaces at the cost of N7,339,545, representing only 2.36 per cent of the total contract of N311,130,000 as against the alleged N360 million,” he said.
On allegations that the emirate council spent N54.11 million on phone calls and internet connections between 2014 and 2017, out of which N29 million was incurred by Sanusi, his wives and Munnir Sanusi, the emir said most of the charges were due to roaming of his mobile line, and were provided for in the emirate council’s approved budgets.
