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Senator representing Bauchi South, Shehu Buba, has dismissed as fabricated allegations and viral videos purporting to link him to alleged bandit kingpins, saying the materials were deliberately manipulated to damage his reputation.
Mr Buba, who chairs the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry and is the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, governorship candidate in Bauchi State, said a fact-check had established that the viral footage was a combination of two unrelated videos.
He said while individuals featured in the first clip spoke Fulfulde, those in the second spoke English, contrary to claims that the footage showed suspected bandit leaders visiting his residence.
In a statement titled, “Setting the Record Straight: My Response to Fabricated Videos, False Allegations and a Sustained Campaign of Disinformation,” the senator explained that the first video showed Hajj returnees from Kaduna who visited his residence in 2023, while the second featured different individuals displaying passports.
Mr Buba described the allegations as false and malicious, alleging that they were part of a coordinated campaign motivated by financial and partisan interests rather than genuine concern for accountability.
He challenged anyone with credible evidence of wrongdoing against him to submit such evidence to the appropriate authorities, insisting that he had nothing to hide and would not resist any legitimate investigation.
The senator also urged his supporters to remain calm and focused ahead of the 2027 elections, saying the PRP campaign would concentrate on providing Bauchi residents with an alternative based on service, development and security.
“Let us remain calm, disciplined and committed to the democratic process,” he said.
Mr Buba said he initially refrained from responding to the allegations because of the sensitive nature of his previous responsibilities as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
According to him, national security responsibilities require discretion because public disclosure of certain operational activities could expose sources, endanger individuals and communities or compromise ongoing security interventions.
He said his position as chairman of the committee reinforced his decision not to respond to every allegation or provocation.
“It was in that spirit that I initially declined to respond to the recent circulation of videos purporting to show ‘high-profile bandit kingpins’ visiting my residence,” he said.
“However, the persistent recycling of these materials, accompanied by increasingly serious allegations, makes it necessary to place the facts before Nigerians.”
How the allegations started
Mr Buba traced the current controversy to September 15, 2024, when Umar Shayi allegedly led a militia group described as hunters working for the Bauchi State Agency for Vigilante and Youth Empowerment.
He said the group reportedly killed two charcoal sellers, prompting him, as the senator representing the district, to visit the families of the victims and demand justice.
“I condemned the killings and urged the government to institute safeguards against abuses by those entrusted with protecting citizens,” he said.
According to Mr Buba, his intervention was followed by an allegation by the Bauchi State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Abdulhamid Bununu, linking him to banditry.
He said he rejected the allegation as false and unsupported by evidence.
Mr Buba further alleged that former Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, subsequently petitioned President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of sponsoring a “bandit kingpin” to perform the 2024 Hajj through an aide identified as Yahaya Ibrahim.
The senator denied the allegation, saying he had no aide by the name mentioned and had invited security agencies to investigate the claim.
He explained that his sponsorship of pilgrims, like his scholarships, medical interventions and empowerment programmes, was based on recommendations from community and religious leaders.
“These philanthropic initiatives predate current political disagreements and have benefited people from diverse backgrounds,” he said.
Mr Buba said he eventually sought legal redress by filing a defamation suit, marked CV/413/2024, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
Hassan Husseini controversy
The senator also addressed the case of Hassan Husseini, whom he said was introduced to him in 2024 as an orphan in need of educational assistance.
He said he enrolled Husseini in a private college in Kaduna and an Islamic school and also provided him with a bicycle for transportation.
According to him, Mr Husseini later abandoned his education and requested a substantial amount of money to start a car dealership, a request he declined while advising him to return to school.
Mr Buba alleged that he subsequently discovered that Husseini had recorded photographs and videos of visitors to his residence while under his care.
“These materials later formed the basis of allegations circulated on social media,” he said.
He added that after the videos and photographs were circulated, individuals allegedly demanded money from him, prompting him to petition the Nigeria Police Force on September 9, 2025.
According to Mr Buba, several suspects were arrested and investigated, while five were arraigned before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on October 30, 2025.
He said the suspects were charged in Case No. FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025 with offences including criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, criminal defamation, advance-fee fraud and extortion.
“The matter is before a competent court, and I will refrain from comments that could prejudice the proceedings. The next hearing is scheduled for September 29, 2026,” he said.
Wealth allegations
Mr Buba said he had also resorted to legal action following comments made in July 2026 by former Bauchi State Governor and APC governorship candidate, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, regarding the source of his wealth.
He said he instructed his lawyers, Jay Adl Attorneys, to petition the appropriate authorities over remarks he considered defamatory.
The senator said political differences should be settled through debates over policies, competence and vision rather than character attacks.
“My decision to leave the APC for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), under whose platform I am pursuing my gubernatorial aspiration, should be debated on policies, competence and vision — not on fabricated allegations,” he said.
Buba defends security record
Mr Buba also defended his record as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, saying he had consistently advocated a security strategy that combined military operations with community engagement, dialogue, intelligence gathering, deradicalisation and confidence-building.
He argued that Nigeria could not defeat insecurity through military force alone, stressing the need to build trust with vulnerable communities and strengthen local intelligence networks.
“While kinetic operations are necessary, I consistently advocated complementary non-kinetic strategies involving community engagement, dialogue, intelligence gathering, deradicalisation and confidence-building,” he said.
The senator said some of the interventions he was involved in could not be publicly discussed because revealing the identities of intermediaries or operational information could endanger citizens and undermine ongoing security efforts.
“My silence on such matters should never be interpreted as an absence of service,” he said.
Mr Buba also highlighted his philanthropic activities, including scholarships, educational sponsorships, medical assistance, youth empowerment and support for vulnerable families across Bauchi South and other communities.
“Philanthropy is not a political slogan for me — it is an obligation,” he said.
Calls for professional scrutiny
The senator said he welcomed legitimate scrutiny of his activities and associations but urged journalists, editors, fact-checkers, civil society organisations and opinion leaders to independently verify the allegations.
He called on them to examine the origins of the videos, establish the identities of those featured, review relevant court records and consult security institutions before drawing conclusions.
“There is a difference between investigation and fabrication, between criticism and blackmail, and between political opposition and deliberate character assassination,” he said.
Mr Buba also warned against what he described as the modern pattern of disinformation, in which old allegations are repeatedly recycled, edited and given new captions until repetition is mistaken for evidence.
“I will continue to defend my name through lawful means. More importantly, I will continue the work that has defined my public life: serving my constituents, supporting those in need and contributing to the peace and security of our nation.
“The facts should speak louder than propaganda,” he said.
