Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A fresh allegation has reignited the political firestorm surrounding Senator Shehu Buba Umar, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, with a social media security commentator releasing footage purporting to show a suspected terrorist and bandit kingpin inside the senator’s residence. The allegation, made on September 24, 2026, by a whistleblower known as D English Alhaji, has intensified calls for security agencies to investigate the matter, even as the senator has repeatedly and categorically denied any links to banditry or terrorism.
According to the whistleblower, the man in the footage, identified as Bashir, is an associate of the wanted bandit kingpin Dogo Gide. The video allegedly shows Bashir with a visibly immobilized arm, which D English Alhaji claims is the result of a gunshot wound sustained during a confrontation with Nigerian Army personnel. The commentator, speaking in Pidgin English, appealed directly to media organisations and security agencies to investigate the footage. “Nigerians, please come. SaharaReporters, please come. We need answers. This matter is not over,” he said, displaying the footage. He further argued that if the house belonged to an ordinary Nigerian, arrests would have been made long ago, questioning why a suspected terrorist would be found in a sitting senator’s home.
This is not the first time Senator Buba has faced such accusations. Since 2024, allegations have circulated linking him to bandit kingpins, including claims that he sponsored a bandit leader to the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage and distributed motorcycles to criminals. The senator has consistently described these allegations as a politically motivated smear campaign orchestrated by his opponents ahead of the 2027 elections, in which he is contesting the Bauchi State governorship under the Peoples Redemption Party.
Senator Buba has not remained silent. He has repeatedly challenged his accusers to present their evidence to security agencies rather than relying on social media. He has argued that the viral videos are manipulated, combining unrelated footage. He explained that one clip featured Kaduna-based Hajj returnees who visited his residence in 2023, while another showed different individuals, and that the people in the videos spoke different languages, proving they were not the same event. In a statement, he insisted he had “neither sponsored bandits nor hosted bandit kingpins in his home,” and accused his political rivals of being “desperate to destroy his reputation.”
In a move that underscores his insistence on transparency, Buba voluntarily submitted himself to the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Defence Intelligence Agency for investigation on September 14, 2026. Through his legal team, led by former Nigerian Bar Association President Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), he formally requested a comprehensive probe into the allegations of banditry, terrorism financing, and kidnapping. He declared, “I have nothing to hide, and I have nothing to fear from any legitimate investigation.” He even stated he would accept prosecution if a prima facie case was established against him based on credible and verifiable evidence.
The timing of these allegations is politically charged. Buba, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, is a vocal critic of Governor Bala Mohammed and is challenging the political establishment in Bauchi. His opponents argue that his past security oversight role may have involved legitimate contacts with unsavory elements that are now being distorted. Buba himself has said that his sensitive engagements in that capacity are being repurposed to suggest criminal relationships.
The latest footage has raised more questions than answers. Who owns the property where Bashir was allegedly seen? If the man is indeed a wanted terrorist associate, how did he end up in a senator's residence? The whistleblower's appeal is simple: investigate. The senator's response is equally clear: investigate and clear my name. What remains missing is a decisive, public action from the security agencies. The DSS has indicated its findings would be released later, tying the timeline to a separate probe. The police have said they have not received a formal complaint tied to the latest allegations.
For a nation grappling with a devastating security crisis, the allegations strike at the heart of public trust. If a senior lawmaker entrusted with national security oversight is indeed harboring criminals, it would represent a catastrophic breach of duty. If, however, the allegations are fabricated, as the senator insists, then a coordinated smear campaign is being used to destroy a political career, and those responsible must be held accountable. The only way to resolve this is through a thorough, transparent, and timely investigation. The footage has been released, the accusations have been made, and a senator has submitted himself to the law. The question now is whether the agencies tasked with protecting Nigeria will act, or whether this, like so many other allegations before it, will be allowed to fade into the background while the truth remains buried.
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