Senator Buba Denies Banditry Links, Files Criminal Complaint in Niger Republic as Suspects Face Prosecution in Nigeria
Senator representing Bauchi South, Shehu Buba, has denied allegations linking him to banditry, describing recent viral videos and related claims as fabricated, misleading and part of a sustained campaign to damage his reputation.
Buba, who chairs the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry and is the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) gubernatorial candidate in Bauchi State, said he had filed a criminal complaint in Niamey, Niger Republic, against Hassan Saleh Hussein over alleged defamation and electronic insults.
In a statement issued on September 6, 2026, titled “Setting the Record Straight: My Response to Fabricated Videos, False Allegations and a Sustained Campaign of Disinformation,” the senator said he had previously avoided responding to every allegation against him but decided to speak out because repeated accusations were damaging his reputation and public service record.
Buba, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said his work had involved engagements with security agencies and communities affected by banditry, including interventions he maintained could not always be publicly disclosed without compromising security operations.
Tracing the controversy to September 2024, the senator said it followed the killing of two charcoal sellers by a militia group allegedly linked to the Bauchi State Agency for Vigilante and Youth Empowerment.
According to him, he visited the victims’ families and demanded justice, after which the Bauchi State Commissioner for Internal Security, Barrister Abubakar Abdulhamid Bununu, allegedly linked him to banditry.
Buba further alleged that Governor Bala Mohammed subsequently petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of sponsoring a “bandit kingpin” for the 2024 Hajj through an aide.
The senator denied the accusation and said he invited security agencies to investigate the claims. He explained that his sponsorship of pilgrims, like his scholarships, medical assistance and empowerment programmes, had traditionally been based on recommendations from community and religious leaders.
Rather than engage in a public confrontation, Buba said he filed a defamation suit, marked CV/413/2024, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
The senator also addressed his relationship with Hassan Husseini, whom he said was introduced to him in 2024 as an orphan requiring educational assistance.
According to Buba, he enrolled Husseini in a private school in Kaduna and provided him with a bicycle for transportation, but Husseini later abandoned his studies and asked for a large sum of money to start a car dealership.
The senator alleged that after he declined the request, Husseini began recording visitors to his residence and that the materials were subsequently used in an alleged blackmail scheme.
Buba said he petitioned the Nigeria Police on September 9, 2025, after the videos circulated and he received alleged demands for money.
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He said five suspects were subsequently arraigned before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025 on allegations of criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, defamation, advance-fee fraud and extortion.
According to the statement, the case remains before the court, with the next hearing scheduled for September 29, 2026.
Buba also disclosed that he had initiated another legal process following remarks by former Bauchi State Governor and APC gubernatorial candidate Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, who he said publicly questioned the source of his wealth in July 2026.
The senator said he considered the remarks defamatory and instructed his lawyers, Jay Adl Attorneys, to petition the appropriate authorities.
He maintained that his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress for the PRP and pursue his Bauchi governorship aspiration should be debated on the basis of policies, competence and vision rather than what he described as fabricated allegations.
Addressing the latest controversy, Buba said a content creator known as “D English Alhaji” began circulating videos in August 2026 purporting to show bandit kingpins visiting his residence.
He described the claims as false, saying a fact-check had subsequently found that the videos were manipulated and presented out of context.
The content creator, according to the senator, later interviewed Husseini from Niamey, Niger Republic, during which further allegations were made against him.
Buba rejected the allegations and described them as malicious and motivated by financial and partisan interests.
He said his decision to file a criminal complaint in Niamey was consistent with his preference for seeking legal remedies rather than engaging in political confrontation.
Buba also defended his record as former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, saying he had worked with security and intelligence agencies as well as communities affected by insecurity.
He said his engagements included advocacy for military operations, intelligence gathering, dialogue, deradicalisation and community participation in addressing insecurity.
The senator challenged anyone with credible evidence of wrongdoing against him to submit it to the appropriate authorities, saying he was prepared to face any legitimate investigation.
“I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear from any legitimate investigation,” he said.
He also urged journalists, editors, fact-checkers and civil society organisations to independently verify allegations before publishing or amplifying them, including by examining the disputed videos, reviewing court records and consulting relevant security institutions.
Buba appealed to his supporters to remain calm and avoid provocation as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.
“Our focus is on winning the 2027 elections and offering Bauchi State a credible alternative founded on service, development and security. Let us remain calm, disciplined and committed to the democratic process,” he said.
By PRNigeria
