Shehu Buba And The Banditry Allegations: Where Is The Evidence -By Yasir Shehu Adam

There is a need for Nigerians to pause and look carefully at the recent allegations against Senator Shehu Buba Umar before reaching any conclusion.

The allegations are serious. They involve banditry, kidnapping, alleged links with criminal groups and even claims of training people associated with notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide.

But one simple question must be asked:

Where is the full evidence?

D English Alhaji and Hassan have made serious claims, but allegations are not the same as proof. If someone is accused of sponsoring banditry, Nigerians deserve more than edited videos, photographs, interviews and unverified statements. We need evidence that can be independently examined.

Senator Shehu Buba previously served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence. He was also publicly involved in discussions around non-kinetic approaches and dialogue as part of efforts to address insecurity.

That raises an important question: Were some of the photographs and meetings being presented as evidence actually connected to peace negotiations, security engagements or efforts to persuade criminals to abandon violence?

If so, why has nobody properly established the date, location, purpose and circumstances of those meetings?

A photograph of a politician with a person suspected of being a criminal does not automatically prove sponsorship. The real question is why the meeting happened and what happened afterwards.

There was also an earlier controversy in 2024 involving Abubakar Idris, who was arrested over alleged links to banditry and whose Hajj registration was reportedly connected to someone alleged to be associated with Senator Buba. Buba denied any wrongdoing and disputed the identity of the alleged aide. Reports at the time indicated that security agencies investigated the matter.

The obvious question remains:

What did the investigation finally establish?

That answer is more important than social-media speculation.

The latest controversy became even more questionable after PRNigeria examined a viral video presented as showing bandit kingpins at a senator’s residence. Its fact-check found that the footage combined unrelated clips and did not establish that the people shown were bandits.

This should teach us something important:

A viral video is not necessarily evidence.

But there is another question: Why now?

Hassan is reported to have known or claimed knowledge of these matters for some time. Why did he wait until now to publicly identify Senator Shehu Buba?

Why were these allegations not made clearly and publicly earlier?

Why have they become prominent during the period when Senator Buba is preparing for the 2027 political contest in Bauchi?

These questions do not prove that Hassan is lying or that anybody sponsored him. But they are legitimate investigative questions.

If there is a sponsor behind the allegations, let evidence expose that sponsor.

If there is no sponsor, let that also be established.

We should not defend Senator Buba blindly, just as we should not condemn him blindly.

If Hassan has evidence, let him present it.

If D English Alhaji has original and verifiable materials, let him publish them in their full context.

If the DSS or other security agencies have investigated the allegations, let Nigerians know their findings when the investigation is complete.

And if Senator Shehu Buba is guilty of any offence, he should face the law like anybody else.

But if the allegations are false, he should not be convicted by social media before any competent authority establishes the facts.

BAUCHI DESERVES FACTS, NOT POLITICAL PROPAGANDA

This is bigger than Senator Shehu Buba.

It is about whether we want serious security allegations to be investigated properly or used as political weapons.

The people of Bauchi deserve the truth—not rumours, edited videos or political narratives.

Let the evidence speak.

Let the investigators investigate.

Let the innocent be cleared and the guilty be punished.

Until then, Nigerians should keep an open mind.

Because in a matter as serious as terrorism and banditry, an allegation may start an investigation, but only credible evidence should establish guilt.

— Yasir Shehu Adam (Dan Liman)
Journalist and Writer, Bauchi State