By Hassan Hussain
The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance has called for an independent and impartial investigation into allegations linking Senator Shehu Buba Umar, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, with individuals and networks allegedly associated with banditry, kidnapping and terrorism.
The spokesperson for the Coalition, Comrade Adedeji Abdulsalam, made the call in Abuja during a world press conference on the allegations.
Comrade Abdulsalam stressed that the Coalition was not pronouncing the Senator guilty, but said the allegations were serious enough to warrant investigation by competent security and law-enforcement agencies.
He said, “We are not here to pronounce Senator Shehu Buba guilty of any offence. We are here because a number of specific and serious allegations have entered the public domain and because the allegations concern national security, possible criminal financing and the activities of individuals alleged to be connected with violent criminal networks.”
The Coalition raised questions over reports that two individuals, Abubakar Idris and Zainab Aliyu Gado, were sponsored for the 2024 Hajj through a person identified as Yahaya Ibrahim, reportedly associated with Senator Buba.
It also cited fresh allegations contained in a September 2026 online interview involving individuals identified as Baba Ngida and Adam, who were allegedly linked to bandit leader Dogo Gide and reportedly brought to Abuja for specialised training in drone operations and professional sniping.
The Coalition called on security agencies to verify the identities and movements of the persons mentioned, establish whether such training took place, identify the facilitators and financiers, and examine relevant financial and communication records.
It further urged investigators to authenticate photographs and videos circulating in connection with the allegations, establish when and where the meetings shown took place, identify those involved, and determine the purpose of such engagements.
The Coalition also called for scrutiny of previous allegations involving alleged financial assistance to individuals associated with banditry, the reported diversion of motorcycles meant for constituents, and contacts between Senator Buba and persons involved in efforts to negotiate peace with armed groups.
Comrade Abdulsalam said engagement with armed groups for peace or conflict-resolution purposes did not, by itself, amount to sponsorship, but stressed that the circumstances surrounding such contacts should be clarified.
He said, “The Coalition will neither convict nor exonerate anyone through a press conference. We call for the claims to be independently investigated, the evidence examined and the facts established.”
The Coalition emphasised that both genuine criminal sponsorship and deliberately fabricated allegations could undermine public confidence and should therefore be addressed through evidence, due process and the rule of law.
It called on Nigerians to avoid turning the matter into an ethnic, religious or political controversy, insisting that the same standard of evidence should apply to Senator Shehu Buba and anyone else facing allegations of involvement in banditry, terrorism or kidnapping.
Senator Shehu Buba has consistently denied the allegations, describing the recent claims and circulating videos as false and politically motivated, and has challenged anyone with credible evidence to present it to the appropriate security agencies or courts.
The Coalition therefore urged the relevant authorities to investigate all the allegations and, where credible evidence establishes an offence, prosecute in accordance with the law, while taking appropriate legal action where serious allegations are found to have been deliberately fabricated.
