Senator Shehu Buba, representing Bauchi South, has denied allegations linking him to banditry, describing viral videos and claims against him as fabricated and part of a campaign to damage his reputation.
Buba, who chairs the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry and is the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) governorship candidate in Bauchi State, disclosed that 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, the senator said he had remained reluctant to respond to every allegation against him but was compelled to speak out after what he described as repeated attempts to tarnish his image and public record.
Buba, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said his official responsibilities had involved engagements with security agencies and communities affected by banditry, some of which, he noted, could not be made public without compromising security operations.
He traced the allegations to September 2024, following 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, Abubakar Abdulhamid Bununu, allegedly accused him of having links to banditry.
Buba further claimed that Governor Bala Mohammed later petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of sponsoring a “bandit kingpin” for the 2024 Hajj through an aide.
The senator denied the allegation and said he invited security agencies to investigate the claim. He explained that his sponsorship of pilgrims, like his scholarship, medical assistance and empowerment programmes, was based on recommendations from community and religious leaders.
Rather than engage in a public confrontation, Buba said he instituted a defamation suit, marked CV/413/2024, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
He also explained his relationship with Hassan Husseini, whom he said was introduced to him in 2024 as an orphan in need of educational support.
Buba said he enrolled Husseini in a private school in Kaduna and provided him with a bicycle for transportation. However, he alleged that Husseini later abandoned his studies and requested a large sum of money to establish a car dealership.
According to the senator, after he declined the request, Husseini began recording visitors to his residence, with the materials later allegedly used as part of a blackmail campaign.
Buba said he petitioned the Nigeria Police on September 9, 2025, following the circulation of the videos and alleged demands for money.
He said five suspects were subsequently arraigned before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025 on allegations including criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, defamation, advance-fee fraud and extortion.
The senator said the case remains before the court, with the next hearing scheduled for September 29, 2026.
Buba also disclosed that he had commenced another legal process over comments allegedly made by former Bauchi State governor and APC governorship candidate, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, who he said questioned the source of his wealth in July 2026.
He described the remarks as defamatory and said he had instructed his lawyers, Jay Adl Attorneys, to petition the appropriate authorities.
On the latest controversy, Buba said a content creator known as “D English Alhaji” began circulating videos in August 2026 which purportedly showed bandit kingpins visiting his residence.
The senator rejected the claims, saying a fact-check had found that the videos were manipulated and presented out of context.
He alleged that the content creator later interviewed Husseini in Niamey, where further accusations were made against him.
Buba described the allegations as malicious and driven by financial and partisan interests, adding that his decision to file a criminal complaint in Niger was part of his preference for pursuing legal remedies.
Defending his record on security, the senator said he had worked with security and intelligence agencies as well as communities affected by insecurity. He said his interventions included advocacy for military operations, intelligence gathering, dialogue, deradicalisation and greater community participation in tackling insecurity.
Buba challenged anyone with credible evidence against him to submit it to the appropriate authorities, insisting that he was prepared to face any legitimate investigation.
“I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear from any legitimate investigation,” he said.
He urged journalists, editors, fact-checkers and civil society organisations to independently verify allegations before publishing or amplifying them, particularly by examining the disputed videos, court records and information from relevant security institutions.
The senator also 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.