How Emir Sanusi Got Indicted In Over N3.4bn Misappropriation Allegation

Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission said investigation into the expenditure of the Kano Emirate Council commenced in 2017 over the receipt of a complaint filed by Concern Friends of Kano Emirate dated 28th March, 2017

It said the petition alleged Financial Misappropriation against Kano Emirate Council under the Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II.

This was contained in a Preliminary report of investigation in respect of petition of financial misappropriation against Kano Emirate Council under the leadership of Muhammadu Sanusi submitted to the Secretary to the State Government on Monday sighted by Solacebase.

The report says in their petition they raised some allegations bordering on spending the funds without regards to due process. They alleged that, the Emir (Muhammadu Sanusi II) spent over

Three Hundred and Sixty Million (N360,000,000.00) only in the provision of CCTV in the Emir’s Palace.

It said this was  is in addition to expenditures on hotels, chartered aircraft and many more which petitioners alleged to be well over Four Billion Naira.

The report , according to Solacebase indicates that investigation commenced in 2017 through invitation sent to the officers who are directly connected with the maintenance of the Treasury of the Emirate for information and interview and also requested for relevant documents covering the said period of investigation which the Emirate Council complied with .

The Commission also got statements from the Financial Controller of the

Emirate who is also the Walin Kano Alh. Mahe Bashir Wali, Sarki Waziri the

Deputy Secretary of the Emirate as well as Rufa’I Buhari who is the Treasurer of the Emirate Council.

The suspicious transactions discovered by the commission are as follows:-

1. MASPHAL ASSOCIATE:

The company was paid the sum of N100,000,000.00 in 2014 and N39,565,475.00 in 2015.

2. PROJECT PLANNER AND DEVELOPER COMP. LTD

The company was paid the total sum of N24, 163,776.17 in 2014

3. MODERN SOCIETY CONST. COMPANY

The company received the sum of WB,749,107.00 in 2014 as payment for work.

4. WAVES STUDIO:

The sum of N9,484,500.00 was paid to the company in 2014, the sum of N 1,977,900.00 in 2015, the sum of N4,678,500.00 in 2016 and the sum of N616, 730.00 in 2017.

5. CHOSEN ONE GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED:

The sum of N4,666,950.00 was paid to Chosen One Global Technologies Limited in 2015

6. FLOORS ARCHO CONSULTANTS:

The sum of N22,691,280.00 was paid to the company in 2014, N32,586,333.00 in 2015 and the sum of N1,343,903.00 in 2017.

7. ICX SOLUTION LTD:

The company was paid the sum of W 10,445,820.00 in 2015 and another N6,298,680.00 in 2016

8. HIKIMA VENTURES/S. HIKIMA & SON:

The sum of N4,041, 165.76 was paid to this unregistered company in 2014, N27,947,201 .90 was also paid in 2015, W19,162,163.50 in 2016 and lastly W5,759,825.75 was paid in 2017.

9. ABUSAIBA INVESTMENT:

The sum ofN24,184,151.75 was paid to the company in 2014 despite been not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

10. PHILKO LIMITED

In 2014 the sum of N50,000,000.00 was paid to the PHILKO Limited.

11. CEM NIG. LTD.

The sum of N3,880,000.00 was paid to the company in 2014 and N372, 141 .00 in 2015 was paid to the company.

12. MOFHAN ENTERPRISES LTD

The sum of N1,312,500.00 was paid to MOFHAN Enterprises Ltd. in

2014 by the Kano Emirate Council.

13. MODI INVESTMENT LTD.

The sum of N38,953,552.00 was paid to the company by the Emirate Council in 2014.

14. DABO GATE IDEAL RESOURCES:

The payment of N 175,175,560.00 was effected to Dabo Gate Ideal Resources in 2014.

15. LUGO SUPPLIERS:

The sum of N14,854,500.00 was paid to the Company in 2014 by the Emirate Council.

16. JUBAILI BROS ENGE. NIG. LTD:

The payment of N3,230,829.00 was made to Jubaili Bros Eng. Nig. Ltd. in 2016.

17. CARDINAL ARCHITECTURE:

In 2015 the sum N30,000,000.00 were paid by Emirate Council to the company.

18. SHUNT ENGINEERING CO.

The sum of N48,057,747.50 was paid to Shunt Engineering Co. in 2014 and also the sum of W22,478,491 .27 was paid in 2015 and another N29,261 ,949.93 was paid in 2016.

19. OCHOR MECHPLANT ENGR. LTD:

The sum of N 1,570,000.00 was paid to the company in 2014 by the Emirate Council.

20. CONTINENTAL OFFSHOW LTD.:

The sum of N38,750,000.00 was paid by Emirate Council to the company in 2014.

21. MAWUD Nig. Ltd.:

The sum of N583,000.00 was paid to MAWUD Nig. Ltd. in 2014 by the Emirate Council.

It however said,  all the purported companies listed above allegedly carried out contracts with the Emirate Council.

These companies are not inexistence, as search for their corporate status came out negative and virtually all the purposes for the expenditures, the amount involved and the legal status of the companies revealed prima facie case of fraud in the management of the Emirate Council funds as there were no budgetary provisions to justify the expenditure.

It noted that in 2014 the sum of Fourty Three Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Eighty

Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N43,268,500.00) were expended in the fueling of Generator.

Thirty Nine Million Six Hundred and Ninety Thousand (N39,690,000.00) only were expended on fueling in 2015

Twenty Two Million Three Hundred and Seventeen Thousand One Hundred and Seventy Four Naira (N22,317, 174.00) only in 2016 and Twelve Million Four Hundred and Ninety Six Thousand Eight Hundred Naira (N12,496,800.00) only were expended in 2017 all in fueling.

To sum it all One hundred and Seventeen Million Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand Four Hundred and Seventy Four Naira (N117,772,474.00) only were expended on fueling from 2014- 2017 by the Emirate Council, the disparity in the amount so involved, the ratio at which the fuel was consumed from 43 to 22 Million called for suspicion and indicated acts of misappropriation and fraud.

The report added that also in the cause of investigation an observation was made on a transfer of One Hundred and Five Million, Five Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Five Thousand (N105,595,755.00) from the Emirate Council’s account to an individual account bearing the name of one Engr. Sunusi Ti]ani who happened to be the Technical Officer to the Emirate Council at United Bank for Africa (UBA) during the period of 2014-2017 at different occasions. The largest which Twenty Two Million Seven Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand Two Hundred and Thirty Three Naira Ninety Two Kobo (N22,778,233.92) only was transferred on 22nd September, 2015 . It was observed going  by the record of expenditures from the said account that virtually all the money were withdrawn personally (self-withdrawal). This is a red flag for corruption and there is no way an individual not a corporate entity will attract such payments from Government at different interval in a legitimate transaction. This is also another trace of alleged corrupt practices and final investigation will reveal all the facts of the case.

 The sum of Fifty Four Million One Hundred and Eleven Thousand Fifty Five Naira (N54, 111,055.00) were expended by the Emirate Council from 2014 to 2017 on payment of airtime/data to Airtel Network Ltd. mostly on personal phone numbers.

In his statement, Isah Bayero denied using his line to incur expenditure worth 25.6 Million while the remaining 29M was incurred by the Emir, his wives and Mannir Sanusi. Failure of the appearance of the invited suspects made it impossible for the Commission to conclude on this matter.

 Another area of concern which revealed a prima facie case of criminal breach of trust by servant is where the sum of One Hundred and Fourty Four Million Three Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand Three Hundredand Eighty One Naira (N144,362,381 .00) only was spent on Hotel Accommodation, payment of chartered Aircraft and payment of Air ticket by the Kano State Emirate Council from 2014 – 2017.

 Out of this sum Thirty Million Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand Naira(N30, 762,000.00) only was spent on Chartered flights while the sum of One Hundred and Thirteen Million Six Hundred Thousand Three Hundred and Eighty One Naira (N113,600,381 .00) only was spent for hotel accommodation and air ticket for the Emir’s travels.

 Investigation revealed that the purpose of the expenditure which was never budgeted for is unknown and all efforts by the Commission in requesting the Council to provide evidence to justify the travels as being official proved abortive.