Shehu Buba Submits Himself To DSS Over Banditry Allegations

Shehu Buba Submits Himself To DSS Over Banditry Allegations

Senator Shehu Buba Umar, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, has submitted himself to the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for investigation following allegations linking him to banditry, kidnapping and terrorism financing.

Buba, who is the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) governorship candidate in Bauchi State for the 2027 election, said he took the step to allow competent security agencies to investigate the allegations and establish the facts.

The senator made the disclosure in Bauchi on Monday, September 14, 2026, while addressing journalists on the allegations that have recently resurfaced on social media and other public platforms.

Buba strongly denied sponsoring, financing, arming, facilitating or supporting bandits, terrorists, kidnappers or any other criminal organisation.

He said his legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Nigerian Bar Association President Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, had formally written to the DSS, DIA and Police to make him available for questioning and investigation.

The senator also challenged anyone who claims to possess evidence linking him to criminal activities to submit such evidence to the appropriate security agencies instead of circulating allegations on social media.

He said he was ready to cooperate fully with investigators and would face prosecution if a competent investigation established a prima facie case against him.

The allegations against Buba resurfaced following claims made online by a man identified as Hassan Husseini, who alleged that the senator maintained relationships with suspected bandits and had hosted criminal elements at his residence.

READ ALSO:

• No Lives Lost as Responders Contain Dual Fire Outbreaks Across Lagos
• ‘I Was Never the Chosen One’ — Dembele Responds to Mbappe
• Plateau Attacks: Gunmen Kill Passengers, 13 Dead Across Three LGAs

Husseini further alleged that individuals linked to notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide were brought to Abuja for specialised training allegedly facilitated by one of Buba’s aides.

The claims have not been established as facts by any security agency or court, and Buba has rejected them as defamatory and politically motivated.

The senator also alleged that some of the photographs, videos and other materials being circulated against him had been manipulated or taken out of context.

Buba said the controversy was not entirely new, maintaining that similar allegations had surfaced as far back as 2024.

He recalled an earlier controversy involving people he sponsored for a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, saying the beneficiaries had been recommended by traditional rulers in his constituency.

According to Buba, some of those sponsored for the pilgrimage were later arrested after returning to Nigeria, leading to questions about their identities and alleged connections to criminal activities.

The senator said he had no knowledge of any criminal links involving the individuals when he approved the sponsorship.

He also disclosed that he petitioned the Nigeria Police Force in September 2025 over allegations and materials he said were being circulated to damage his reputation.

Buba said five suspects were subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on allegations including criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, criminal defamation, advance-fee fraud and extortion.

READ ALSO:

• 2027: Northern Lecturers Back Tinubu, ASUU Disowns Endorsement
• ‘I Was Never the Chosen One’ — Dembele Responds to Mbappe
• Police Arrest Mother Over Alleged Brutal Abuse of 7-Year-Old Girl in Anambra

He said the case remains before the court and that he would refrain from making comments that could interfere with the judicial process.

Buba also referred to a September 7, 2026 petition seeking Interpol intervention over one of the individuals his legal team believes is connected with the allegations.

He said copies of relevant submissions had been forwarded to the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence.

The senator argued that his former role as chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence naturally brought him into regular contact with military, intelligence and other security officials.

He suggested that some of those legitimate interactions, particularly discussions concerning banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other security threats, could have been misrepresented as evidence of relationships with criminal groups.

Buba was removed as chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence in November 2025 and subsequently became chairman of the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry.

The allegations have also taken on a political dimension because Buba is preparing to contest the 2027 Bauchi governorship election.

The senator was previously a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but left the party after withdrawing from its governorship primary process. He subsequently joined the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in May 2026.

The PRP has defended Buba and rejected the allegations linking its candidate to banditry and kidnapping.

The party described the claims as an attempt to damage Buba’s reputation and undermine his political campaign ahead of the 2027 election.

It challenged anyone with credible evidence against the senator to submit it to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution rather than rely on unverified allegations.

Buba has also appealed to his supporters to remain calm and avoid threats, insults or attacks against those making the allegations.

He said his decision to submit himself for investigation was not an attempt to secure preferential treatment but a demonstration of his willingness to allow the appropriate institutions to establish the truth.

For now, the allegations against Buba remain unproven. There has been no reported finding by the DSS, Police or DIA establishing that the senator sponsored or financed banditry, terrorism or kidnapping.

His decision to make himself available for investigation gives the security agencies an opportunity to independently examine the allegations, assess the authenticity and context of the materials being circulated and determine whether there is evidence of criminal conduct.

The outcome could have significant political implications as the 2027 Bauchi governorship election draws closer, particularly because Buba is seeking to lead the state on the PRP platform.

Shehu Buba Submits Himself To DSS Over Banditry Allegations