Senator narrates relationship with man who accused him of promoting banditry

Shehu Buba, senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, has responded to allegations that he promotes banditry.

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A man identified simply as Hassan had accused the lawmaker and other unnamed politicians of abetting banditry in northern Nigeria.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, Mr Hassan made the accusations in an interview with social media influencer D English Alhaji Media (@DEngliishalhaji).

He named Mr Buba—who is also the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Bauchi State—as one of the politicians aiding criminal elements.

Mr Hassan also claimed that individuals linked to notorious bandit kingpin Dogo Gide were brought to Abuja for specialised training, allegedly facilitated by an aide to Mr Buba at the National Assembly.

Shehu Buba’s reaction

Responding in an interview published by Albarka Radio in Bauchi, Mr Buba clarified his past relationship with Mr Hassan, explaining that he had offered assistance for his education.

Mr Buba said Mr Hassan was introduced to him as an orphan seeking to further his education. He said he subsequently linked him to a cleric, Musa Asadussunnah, who secured admission for him in both Islamic and conventional schools.

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Mr Buba added that he provided Mr Hassan with a bicycle to ease his movement to school.

“After a short time, he told us that he was leaving school for the car dealership business, which I rejected, insisting that he must finish school before anything else,” Mr Buba stated.

“As he is an orphan, I advised him to finish school because it would help him in the future, but he insisted… Three weeks later, I learned that he had left.”

Mr Buba accused Mr Hassan of exploiting access to his home to create propaganda materials.

He stated that his house is open to visitors, allowing Mr Hassan to secretly record photos and videos of guests, which were allegedly handed over to political rivals to tarnish his reputation.

Addressing the legal steps taken, Mr Buba revealed that he had submitted a formal petition to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

The investigation has so far led to the arrest of four suspects—two in Kano, one in Bauchi, and one in Abuja—with court proceedings already instituted.

However, Mr Buba noted that the primary suspect, Mr Hassan, has fled the country to the Niger Republic, where he continues to run live internet broadcasts allegedly funded by political opponents.

“Those sponsoring him cannot change destiny; if God says I will be, nobody can stop me using social media propaganda against me.”

Contact with bandits

Mr Buba, who served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, worked alongside security personnel and prominent clerics across the country to advance the Nigerian government’s non-kinetic strategy for tackling banditry.

READ ALSO: Zamfara advocates victims support fund for banditry victims, as key to peace-building

His team, which includes Mr Asadussunnah, reportedly met with several bandit leaders—including the wanted terror kingpin Bello Turji—to negotiate a controversial peace deal.

Nigeria’s non-kinetic approach to banditry is a multi-dimensional, soft-power security strategy designed to address the root causes of armed violence and criminal networks without relying solely on lethal military force.

While traditional kinetic operations prioritise direct airstrikes, tactical raids, and ground deployments, non-kinetic measures target the underlying social, economic, psychological, and political drivers of insecurity.

A central component of this strategy is facilitating localised negotiations between conflicting groups—such as farming communities and Fulani pastoralists.

These grassroots peace accords aim to rebuild trust, establish community-level rules, and resolve disputes before they escalate into organised crime.