Senator Shehu Buba, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, has denied allegations that he is aiding bandits or maintaining links with terrorist groups following the circulation of viral videos on social media.
The senator described the allegations as false, saying the videos had been manipulated and presented out of context as part of what he called a sustained campaign of disinformation and character assassination.
The controversy erupted after a social media content creator identified as “D English Alhaji” circulated videos purportedly showing suspected bandit kingpins visiting Buba’s residence.
The allegations were further amplified after a man identified as Hassan accused the senator of being among politicians allegedly supporting bandit activities in the region.
Hassan also claimed that individuals linked to wanted bandit leader Dogo Gide were taken to Abuja for specialised training through an aide of the senator.
Buba, however, strongly rejected the allegations.
In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight: My Response to Fabricated Videos, False Allegations, and a Sustained Campaign of Disinformation,” the senator said a fact-check of the viral material showed that two unrelated video clips had been combined to create a misleading impression.
According to him, one of the clips showed Hajj returnees who visited his residence in 2023, while the other featured different individuals. He said the footage was subsequently presented as evidence that bandit leaders had visited him.
Buba insisted that no bandit kingpin had visited his residence and challenged those making the allegations to provide verifiable evidence.
He also denied an earlier allegation that he sponsored a suspected bandit kingpin to perform the 2024 Hajj, saying he had invited security agencies to investigate the claim.
The senator said he had previously taken legal action over some of the allegations and that five suspects were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja in October 2025 over charges including criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, criminal defamation and extortion.
Buba, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said his public interventions on security matters had sometimes involved sensitive information that could not be disclosed without potentially compromising security operations.
He urged journalists, fact-checkers and members of the public to independently verify the allegations rather than treating claims contained in viral social media videos as established facts.
The senator also alleged that the campaign against him had intensified since his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress and contest the Bauchi governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party.
The allegations remain disputed, with Buba maintaining that the claims linking him to banditry are fabricated and politically motivated.
