Nigerian Senator Accused of Sponsoring Banditry Denies Allegations and Files Niger Complaint

Senator Shehu Buba says a viral video accusing him of sponsoring banditry in northeastern Nigeria was manipulated to mislead the public and damage his reputation.

Buba, the Peoples Redemption Party’s candidate for governor of Bauchi State in the 2027 election, said political opponents had circulated allegations linking him to banditry since 2024. He said the claims began after he paid a condolence visit to charcoal sellers whose members had been killed in an attack in his district.

The latest accusations followed an online interview organized by a content creator known as D English Alhaji. A man identified as Hassan Husseini, who is believed to have been associated with Buba, accused the senator of sheltering bandit leaders and joining prominent politicians who sponsor banditry. Husseini also alleged that non-state actors linked to the bandit leader Dogo Gide were brought to Abuja for specialized training through an aide to Buba.

Buba denied the allegations and said he had submitted a criminal complaint against Husseini to a public prosecutor at the Tribunal of First Instance in Niamey, Niger, seeking prosecution for defamation and insult through electronic communication. He said he first met Husseini in 2024, after people introduced him as an orphan needing educational assistance.

The senator has faced similar allegations before. In October 2024, he was accused of sponsoring suspected bandit leaders on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Buba acknowledged sponsoring a group but said traditional rulers in his district had recommended those selected. The suspected bandits were reportedly arrested after returning and detained by Nigeria’s State Security Service.

Buba previously chaired the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence. He lost that position in November 2025 over what was described as ineffective oversight amid worsening insecurity and later became chairman of the Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry.

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Meanwhile, I have submitted a formal criminal complaint to the Public Prosecutor at the Tribunal of First Instance in Niamey, Niger Republic, through a legal practitioner in that country, seeking the criminal prosecution of Hassan Saleh Hussein for defamation and insult carried out via electronic communication.