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.
