BBC apologises to Sanusi over incorrect reports on emirate investigations

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has sent apologies to Muhammadu Sanusi II, emir  of Kano, over incorrect reports that he was under investigations regarding mismanagement of funds belonging to the Kano emirate.

In a letter by Jamie Angus, BBC editorial director, the media outfit expressed its apologies for the reports, which were found to be incorrect.

On April 24, BBC reported that Sanusi was being investigated alongside some officials of the emirate for alleged misappropriation of some billions.

Earlier, Sanusi had been accused on social media as spending nearly a billion naira on two Royce Rolls, which TheCable found out were given to him by his influential friends.

He was also accused of ostentatiously spending N4 billion belonging to the emirate, which was also discovered to be false.

Apologising to Sanusi, the BBC editorial director explained how the corporation got the facts wrong from an interview with Muhyi Magaji, chairman of Kano state public complaints and anti-corruption commission.

“The reports that appeared on BBC website were purportedly based on the interview that Mr Muhyi Magaji, chairman of Kano state public complaints and anti-corruption commission gave to our bureau in Abuja,” the letter read.

“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.

“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.”

The director also appreciated the manner in which Sanusi handled the issue and his “willingness to see things dealt with in an amicable way”.