Shehu Buba has denied fresh allegations linking him to bandit kingpins, insisting viral videos circulating online were manipulated and do not prove any connection to criminal groups.
BAUCHI, NIGERIA — Senator Shehu Buba, who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District, has rejected fresh allegations that he maintains links with bandit kingpins, describing viral videos and claims circulating on social media as fabricated and part of a campaign to damage his reputation.
Buba, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence and the Peoples Redemption Party governorship candidate in Bauchi State, responded in a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight: My Response to Fabricated Videos, False Allegations and a Sustained Campaign of Disinformation.” He said he had remained restrained because of the sensitive nature of his previous security responsibilities.
Newstridez reviewed the senator’s statement alongside recent reports on the allegations and found that the latest controversy followed videos circulated by a social media content creator known as D English Alhaji. The material was presented as showing suspected bandit leaders visiting Buba’s residence, while another man identified as Hassan accused the senator of allegedly supporting criminal elements in northern Nigeria.
Buba, however, disputed that interpretation. He said the footage combined two unrelated videos: one showing Kaduna-based Hajj returnees who visited his residence in 2023 and another showing different individuals displaying passports. He said the people in the two clips spoke different languages and insisted the videos did not establish that bandit kingpins had visited him.
The senator said the controversy dates back to September 15, 2024, when a militia group allegedly led by Umar Shayi reportedly killed two charcoal sellers in his senatorial district. Buba said he visited the victims’ families, condemned the killings and demanded justice. According to him, his intervention later became the basis for allegations linking him to banditry.
Buba also addressed an earlier allegation that he sponsored a suspected bandit kingpin to perform the 2024 Hajj. He said former Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the allegation, which he rejected. Buba said he invited security agencies to investigate the claim and maintained that he had no aide by the name mentioned in the allegation.
The senator said he had also taken legal steps over some of the claims. He disclosed that he filed a defamation case at the Federal Capital Territory High Court and that several people were later arrested following a police petition. He said five suspects were arraigned in October 2025 on charges including criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, criminal defamation, advance-fee fraud and extortion.
According to Buba, the court case remains ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for September 29, 2026. He said he would avoid making comments that could prejudice proceedings before the court.
The senator also explained his relationship with Hassan, the man whose allegations helped revive the controversy. Buba said Hassan had been introduced to him in 2024 as an orphan needing educational support. He claimed that he helped enrol him in a private college and an Islamic school in Kaduna and gave him a bicycle.
Buba said Hassan later abandoned his education and requested money to start a car dealership. After he declined the request and advised him to return to school, the senator said he later discovered that Hassan had recorded photographs and videos of visitors at his residence. Buba alleged that some people subsequently used the materials to make demands for money.
The latest allegations come as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 elections. Buba recently left the All Progressives Congress and is now seeking the Bauchi governorship ticket under the PRP. He argued that the timing of the renewed allegations had increased his suspicion that political interests were behind the campaign against him.
However, the allegations remain allegations. A separate fact-check published in August found no publicly known court judgment or official finding establishing that Buba sponsored terrorism or banditry. That means claims circulating online should not be treated as established facts unless competent authorities produce evidence supporting them.
Buba has challenged anyone with credible evidence linking him to criminal activity to submit it to security agencies for investigation. He said public officials should face scrutiny but argued that political criticism must be separated from accusations that lack verifiable evidence.
The controversy also highlights the risks of using social media videos as proof of serious criminal allegations. Edited footage, old recordings and unrelated images can quickly gain new meanings when circulated with fresh captions, making independent verification particularly important in politically sensitive cases.
For Bauchi residents, the dispute carries added significance because Buba is not only a serving senator but also a 2027 governorship aspirant. Allegations involving banditry could influence political debates in a state that has faced insecurity and community-level disputes over criminal activity.
Buba has maintained that he is willing to face legitimate investigations and has denied having any relationship with bandit kingpins. The legal proceedings and any independent investigation into the allegations will determine whether further action follows, while the senator continues his campaign for the Bauchi governorship.
