Senator Shehu Buba Umar has broken his silence on the explosive allegations linking him to banditry, revealing that the man behind the claims was once someone he personally helped with his education.
Senator Shehu Buba Umar, who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District, said the accuser, identified simply as Hassan, was introduced to him as an orphan in need of help to further his studies.
Hassan recently accused the senator and other politicians of allegedly aiding banditry in northern Nigeria during an interview with social media influencer D English Alhaji Media.
He specifically alleged that people connected to notorious bandit kingpin Dogo Gide were brought to Abuja for specialised training, allegedly with the assistance of an aide linked to Buba at the National Assembly.
But Buba, in an interview published by Albarka Radio in Bauchi, dismissed the allegations and instead gave a detailed account of his relationship with Hassan.
According to the senator, he took an interest in Hassan after being told that he was an orphan who wanted to continue his education.
Buba said he introduced him to an Islamic cleric, Musa Asadussunnah, who helped secure admission for him into both Islamic and conventional schools.
He also said he bought Hassan a bicycle to make it easier for him to travel to school.
The senator claimed the relationship later soured after Hassan abandoned his studies to pursue car dealership, despite being advised to complete his education first.
Buba said Hassan eventually left school, despite his repeated attempts to persuade him to remain.
The senator further alleged that Hassan later exploited his access to his residence to secretly record photographs and videos of people who visited him.
According to Buba, the materials were subsequently allegedly passed to political opponents and used to create propaganda against him.
He said he eventually petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over the matter.
Buba disclosed that the investigation had resulted in the arrest of four suspects — two in Kano, one in Bauchi and another in Abuja — with court proceedings reportedly already commenced.
He added that Hassan had fled to Niger Republic, from where he was allegedly continuing online broadcasts against him.
The senator maintained that the accusations were politically motivated and designed to damage his reputation ahead of the 2027 political contest in Bauchi.
Buba is the Peoples Redemption Party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 Bauchi State election.
BANDITRY CONTROVERSY
The latest controversy is not the first time Buba has faced allegations of links to banditry.
In 2024, Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed reportedly petitioned President Bola Tinubu over allegations involving people associated with a pilgrimage arrangement linked to Buba. The senator denied supporting banditry and described the accusations as fabricated and malicious.
More recently, fresh allegations have again surfaced, with Hassan claiming that individuals allegedly connected to Dogo Gide were taken to Abuja for training.
Those claims remain allegations and have not been independently verified. There is also no publicly known court judgment establishing that Buba sponsored banditry or terrorism.
Buba has, however, been publicly associated with efforts to use dialogue and other non-kinetic measures to address insecurity.
As part of that approach, he and Islamic clerics were involved in contacts with armed groups, including Bello Turji. Reports have said the initiative contributed to the release of some kidnap victims and was backed by government and security figures.
The senator has consistently maintained that such engagement was aimed at finding peaceful solutions to the insecurity ravaging parts of northern Nigeria, rather than supporting criminal groups.
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