BBC apologises to Emir Sanusi over alleged N6b Emirate fund scam publication

British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, has apologised to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, over reports it published claiming the Emir was connected with a financial recklessness that took place with the Kano Emirate fund.

Recall that on April 24, the corporation had published a report claiming that the Emir was under probe by the Emirate’s anti-graft commission for alleged mismanagement of Kano Emirate fund.

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission had opened an investigation into allegations of ‘questionable expenditures’ running into billions of naira by the council over a short period of time.

However, in the apology letter dated April 28, 2017 and sent to Emir Sanusi, Mr. Jamie Angus, editorial director at BBC, said that an April 24 story quoting the Chairman, of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhyi Magaji, as saying that he (Sanusi) was amongst those being investigated in connection with alleged misappropriation of about N6 billion Emirate Council fund was “not correct.”

“The recording of the interview was passed to another colleague in Abuja office, summarised in a despatch and then sent to London where the online report was written and published.

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano “It is now clear from our investigations that the reports did not accurately reflect what we were told by Mr. Magaji, who had, in fact, made clear to our reporter that you had not been invited in for questioning and indeed that it was unlikely that there would be a need to invite you for question.

“Accordingly, the report we published suggested that you were under personal investigation was not correct and for that I offer my sincere apologies,” Mr. Angus said.

Recall also that the Kano state Emirate Council had equally refuted the allegations that the emir spent N6 billion of the emirate’s fund since assuming office in 2014. Speaking at a press conference in Kano on Monday, a senior official in charge of finance, Bashir Wali, told newsmen that contrary to reports, Sanusi has only spent N2.9billion since he emerged Emir three years ago. Mr. Wali, who is also the Walin Kano, further explained that Emir Sanusi inherited about N1.9 billion as against the alleged N4 billion from his predecessor Alhaji Ado Bayero.