The Department of State Services (DSS) has said it will release its findings at the appropriate time following allegations linking Bauchi South Senator Shehu Buba to suspected bandit activities.
The senator has strongly denied the allegations, describing them as a politically motivated campaign aimed at damaging his reputation.
Buba, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, said he had petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over the latest claims and that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the matter.
The latest controversy followed allegations made by a resident identified as Hassan during an interview with social media platform D English Alhaji Media.
Hassan reportedly alleged that some politicians backed by Buba had assisted bandits operating in the area. He also claimed that associates of notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide were taken to Abuja for specialised training allegedly facilitated by one of the senator’s aides.
Buba, in an interview with Albarka Radio in Bauchi, dismissed the allegations, accusing his political opponents of sponsoring the claims to discredit him.
According to the senator, Hassan, whom he described as the main suspect, had fled to the Niger Republic but continued making allegations against him online.
Buba maintained that the allegations were part of an attempt to derail his political career.
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Police Command said it had not received any formal complaint regarding the latest allegations.
The command’s spokesperson, Nafiu Habib, said the police could not comment substantively on the matter because no petition had been officially submitted to the state authorities.
“We have not received any petition by anyone on the said allegation, so we don’t have a stake in the matter,” Habib said.
A businessman and political associate of the senator, Mukhtar Gwarzo, has however called on relevant security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the allegations.
Gwarzo, Managing Director of Nixon Energy and Nixon Telecoms, said the claims were serious enough to warrant a transparent investigation because of their potential implications for national security.
He said the facts should be established without political influence, adding that his more than two decades of relationship with Buba had given him a different understanding of the senator’s character.
Gwarzo also stressed that his defence of the senator should not prevent the allegations from being investigated.
“I am not asking anyone to close their eyes. I am not asking for silence. Let every allegation be thoroughly investigated,” he said.
He further urged the DSS, the National Assembly and Hajj authorities to provide clarity on the issues surrounding the allegations.
The latest claims have also revived an earlier controversy involving the senator dating back to 2024.
According to reports, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed wrote to President Bola Tinubu in September 2024 over allegations concerning the registration and funding of two individuals, Abubakar Idris and Zainab Gado, for the 2024 Hajj.
The governor’s petition alleged that Idris was suspected of involvement in banditry and kidnapping activities in Zamfara State.
During the 2024 Hajj operations, DSS operatives reportedly visited the Bauchi State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board and requested the e-passports of Idris and Gado, who had been registered as intending pilgrims.
Gado had reportedly travelled for the pilgrimage after her passport was released, while Idris’ passport was handed over to the DSS. He was subsequently detained, according to the report.
Records cited in the petition allegedly showed that both individuals were registered through Yahaya Ibrahim, identified as a senior legislative aide to Senator Buba.
The governor had described the circumstances as a matter of serious concern, alleging that they raised questions about possible support for individuals suspected of criminal activities.
The DSS was subsequently reported to have investigated aspects of the allegations involving the senator.
When contacted on the status of the investigation, however, a spokesperson for the agency declined to disclose the outcome.
The official simply said the findings would be made public “at the appropriate time.”
For now, Senator Buba continues to deny any involvement with banditry, while calls persist for security agencies to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
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