BAUCHI: A local resident, Hassan, has accused Senator Shehu Buba Umar of having links to individuals allegedly associated with notorious bandit kingpin Dogo Gide, while stressing that the claims should be independently investigated.

A fresh controversy has emerged around Senator Shehu Buba Umar, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, after a local resident identified as Hassan accused the lawmaker of being connected to individuals allegedly involved in the network of notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide.

Hassan made the allegations during an interview with social media influencer D English Alhaji Media, who had repeatedly challenged him to reveal the identity of the senator he had previously accused of supporting banditry and the alleged training of criminal elements.

The interview formed part of discussions on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and the alleged connections between criminal groups and influential individuals.

During the interview, the influencer reminded Hassan that he had previously spoken about a serving senator without naming the politician.

Today, I think it is high time you tell us the name of the senator that you are accusing of sponsoring banditry and everything you have said to us,” the influencer said.

Hassan subsequently identified the politician as Senator Shehu Buba Umar.

“My name is Hassan. Remember, I told you I am the citizen of Nigeria. I was born in Nigeria. So, today, we are going to talk about the allegation I am claiming against Senator Shehu Buba Umar, who is representing Bauchi South,” he said.

However, Hassan cautioned that his claims should not be accepted without scrutiny, urging Nigerians and relevant authorities to examine the evidence he said he had gathered.

I’m not saying whatever I believe. No. You have to judge by yourself. And they don’t want to hear from me alone. We want to hear from them, he said.

Hassan alleged that some of the information he obtained concerned individuals he claimed were connected to Dogo Gide, one of the notorious bandit leaders operating in north-western Nigeria.

He specifically named a man identified as Baba Ngida, whom he described as a younger brother of Dogo Gide.

According to Hassan, Baba Ngida and another man identified as Adam were allegedly brought to Abuja, where they received training in drone operations and professional sniping.

He further alleged that Adam was serving as an aide to Senator Shehu Buba at the National Assembly at the time.

Adam, he’s the PA of Senator Shehu Buba. He’s the PA in National Assembly at that time. I don’t know now,” Hassan alleged.

Hassan claimed the two men were accommodated in Abuja and alleged that their training was connected to activities within a bandit network.

He said he had communicated directly with Baba Ngida and claimed to have obtained voice recordings from conversations involving Baba Ngida and Adam.

The interviewer also stated that Hassan had previously sent him more than 10 voice notes in different languages relating to the allegations.

Hassan further claimed that Baba Ngida had shown him photographs of military night-vision equipment allegedly in his possession.

He told me there is some military night vision… I thought I sent you that pictures,” Hassan said.

Hassan said he reported some of the information to officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), but alleged that the officials were reluctant to act because of the supposed political influence of those involved.

According to him, he was told that the individual concerned was known to security officials and considered powerful.

“I told him everything… There are some DSS… You know about this matter, but I don’t want to bring him into this matter because when I bring him into this matter, I take care of his life,” Hassan alleged.

He further claimed that a security official told him: Hassan, we can’t do anything in this matter because this person is powerful. We know him. We know his work.”

Hassan also claimed that he facilitated telephone and video conversations involving Baba Ngida and Adam, which he said could form part of the material supporting his allegations.

Hassan also introduced another individual identified as Bashir, whom he described as a close associate of Dogo Gide.

He alleged that Bashir had been associated with the bandit leader since childhood after his parents allegedly handed him over to Dogo Gide to assist with cattle grazing.

He is the boy of Dogo Gide… among the people of Dogo Gide, he is among the top, the oldest people staying with Dogo Gide,” Hassan alleged.

According to him, Bashir subsequently developed a close relationship with Dogo Gide and remained part of the bandit leader’s network.

While discussing the allegations against Senator Shehu Buba, Hassan acknowledged that banditry in Nigeria existed long before the senator was elected to the National Assembly in 2023.

He said the insecurity crisis had persisted for more than a decade and insisted that his allegations were not directed at Senator Buba alone.

This bandit is starting more than 10 to 15 years. Why are we only [talking about] him? I’m not against only him. A lot of politicians stand behind these things,” he said.

Hassan also argued that political office holders should not be protected from investigation where credible evidence exists.

“If you don’t have any evidence with somebody, don’t talk about him. If you learn, if you know the law, nobody is above the law. Even me, I humble myself to the law,” he said.

He denied that his allegations were motivated by personal hostility towards Senator Buba or members of his family.

“I’m not doing this because somebody got against him or against his family or against anybody part of his family relative,” Hassan said.

He called on anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to submit it to the appropriate security and law-enforcement authorities.

The latest allegations come amid previous controversies involving Senator Shehu Buba Umar.

In August 2025, reports emerged alleging that the Bauchi South senator had been involved in a range of controversies, including claims surrounding a purported peace arrangement with wanted bandit kingpin Bello Turji, alleged involvement in religious tensions in Plateau State and previous accusations of facilitating Hajj arrangements for individuals linked to banditry.

Senator Buba denied the allegations.

A separate petition written by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed to President Bola Tinubu in September 2024 also contained allegations against the senator.

The governor’s petition alleged that Senator Buba, through an aide identified as Yahaya Ibrahim, registered and funded a suspected Zamfara bandit mastermind, Abubakar Idris, who was later arrested by the DSS, as well as a woman identified as Zainab Aliyu Gado for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage.

The petition also alleged that the senator had links to wider support for terrorist networks, including claims involving the distribution of motorcycles to bandits and assistance with medical treatment for wounded fighters.

Senator Buba rejected the allegations, describing them as “baseless, fabricated, and malicious” political blackmail.

He also said he had no aide named Yahaya Ibrahim and explained that people sponsored for Hajj were selected through recommendations from community and religious leaders.

The senator attributed the accusations to an ongoing political dispute between him and Governor Bala Mohammed.

In September 2025, the Arewa Youth Movement called for an investigation into Senator Buba over allegations of links to banditry and other criminal activities.

The group alleged that the senator was connected to the distribution of motorcycles to bandits operating in Zamfara State and accused him of facilitating medical treatment for injured fighters.

The allegations were denied by the senator.

More recently, the North East Youth Action Against Anti-Democratic Governance also criticised reports of Senator Buba’s political ambitions in Bauchi, citing previous allegations involving banditry and religious controversies.

The group said public officials facing serious allegations should be subjected to appropriate scrutiny before seeking higher political office.

The latest allegations made by Hassan remain unverified.

The purported voice recordings, photographs, identities of the individuals mentioned and the alleged connections between them and Senator Shehu Buba have not been independently authenticated based on the material available.

There is also no established evidence in the material presented that proves Senator Buba sponsored banditry, trained criminal elements or maintained a direct relationship with Dogo Gide’s network.

Senator Shehu Buba’s previous position has been to deny allegations linking him to banditry and related criminal activities.

The latest claims therefore remain allegations requiring independent investigation and verification by the appropriate authorities. Security, bandit kingpin, 2027 Bauchi politics.