By Khalid Idris Doya
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 coalition also called for prosecution if investigations establish evidence of criminal offences, stressing that neither political influence nor social-media campaigns should be allowed to determine the outcome of the allegations.
Adressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the coalition, Comrade Adedeji M. Abdulsalam, said the allegations were too serious to be resolved through political statements or social-media exchanges.
He said the coalition was not declaring Senator Buba guilty, but was demanding that competent authorities investigate the allegations based on evidence, due process and the rule of law.
"We frown at the delay in the investigation and prosecution of Senator Shehu Buba Umar over these allegations," Abdulsalam said.
He added, "Let us be clear from the onset. 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 over a period, and because the allegations concern national security, possible criminal financing and the activities of individuals alleged to be connected with violent criminal networks."
According to him, one of the issues requiring investigation concerns reports that Abubakar Idris and Zainab Aliyu Gado, who were later linked to security concerns, were sponsored for the 2024 Hajj through an individual identified as Yahaya Ibrahim, who was reportedly associated with Senator Buba.
Abdulsalam said Abubakar Idris was subsequently detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged links to banditry and kidnapping, while Senator Buba had denied knowingly sponsoring anyone involved in criminal activities.
The coalition therefore asked authorities to establish who nominated and sponsored the beneficiaries, what security screening was conducted, what information was available to the authorities at the time and why one of the beneficiaries subsequently came under security investigation.
It said those questions should be resolved through a transparent and evidence-based investigation.
The coalition also referred to a September 2026 online interview by Hassan Husseini, in which allegations were made concerning individuals identified as Baba Ngida and Adam, who were reportedly linked to bandit leader Dogo Gide.
According to Abdulsalam, the interview alleged that the individuals were brought to Abuja for specialised training in drone operations and professional sniping, allegedly facilitated by an aide connected to Senator Buba.
He said the allegation, if established, would raise serious national-security concerns because of the possible provision of specialised operational capabilities to persons associated with an armed criminal network.
The coalition consequently called for the identities and movements of the persons named in the allegation to be verified, alongside investigations into any alleged training arrangements, facilitators, financial transactions and communication records.
It also urged authorities to determine whether any aide or associate of Senator Buba was involved and to establish any verifiable links between the individuals and the Dogo Gide network.
On allegations that suspected bandit leaders visited or were received at Senator Buba's residence, Abdulsalam said photographs and videos had circulated in support of the claims.
He noted, however, that Senator Buba had rejected the allegations and maintained that some of the materials might have been manipulated or misrepresented.
"The Coalition will not authenticate such materials but calls on competent investigators to verify their authenticity, identify those depicted, establish when and where the meetings occurred, determine who was present and the purpose of the engagements," he said.
He further urged investigators to establish whether the persons involved were known to security agencies or were acting under any authorised non-kinetic or peace initiative, as well as whether any financial or other transactions were associated with the meetings.
The coalition also cited previous allegations that Senator Buba allegedly provided substantial funds to a Kaduna cleric identified in reports as Musa Sunna for onward distribution to bandits.
It further referred to claims that motorcycles intended for constituents were allegedly diverted to persons associated with banditry.
Abdulsalam stressed that the claims remained unverified, but urged investigators to examine relevant financial and procurement records, motorcycle distribution records, beneficiary lists, communications and other available evidence.
He said the purpose should be to establish whether the alleged transfers or distributions occurred and, if so, the purpose and beneficiaries.
On reported contacts between Senator Buba and individuals involved in efforts to negotiate or facilitate peace with Bello Turji, an armed group leader, the coalition acknowledged that engagement with armed groups for peace or conflict-resolution purposes does not, by itself, constitute sponsorship.
However, it called for clarification on who authorised and participated in such engagements, whether security agencies were informed, their objectives and outcomes, and whether any of the engagements involved unlawful material assistance.
The coalition said it was concerned about two fundamental risks: that genuine sponsorship or facilitation of criminal activities could be shielded by political influence, and that unverified allegations could be used to damage an individual's reputation without due process.
It said both concerns required the same response, an impartial, evidence-based investigation capable of establishing the facts. "Nigeria’s security crisis is too serious to permit either political protection or trial by social media," Abdulsalam said.
He added that where credible evidence establishes that any individual was financing, facilitating, arming, training, harbouring or materially supporting bandit groups, such a person should be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He equally called for accountability where serious allegations were deliberately fabricated.
The coalition therefore demanded an independent and evidence-based investigation into all allegations concerning Senator Buba, including the 2024 Hajj matter, alleged links to individuals associated with Dogo Gide, claims of specialised training, alleged financial or material assistance and reported contacts with persons linked to banditry.
It also called for all relevant evidence to be independently verified, while urging Senator Buba to be accorded due process and to cooperate fully with any legitimate investigation.
"Where credible evidence establishes an offence, the law should take its course; equally, where claims are proven to have been deliberately fabricated, appropriate legal action should follow," the coalition said.
It urged Nigerians not to allow the controversy to become a source of ethnic, religious or political division, insisting that the issue should be determined by evidence rather than political affiliation.
"The same standard of evidence and due process should apply to Senator Shehu Buba and to anyone else facing claims of involvement in banditry, terrorism, kidnapping or other violent crimes," Abdulsalam stated.
The coalition said it would neither convict nor exonerate anyone through a press conference, but would continue to call for the claims to be independently investigated, the evidence examined and the facts established.
Recall that Senator Shehu Buba Umar recently said he was ready to face any legitimate investigation by security agencies over allegations linking him to banditry, terrorism financing, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Buba, who stated this at a press conference in Bauchi, said he had voluntarily submitted himself to the DSS for a comprehensive investigation, insisting that he had "Nothing to hide and nothing to fear."
He said his decision followed the continued circulation of what he described as serious allegations against him, despite previous legal actions and reports made to relevant authorities.
The senator disclosed that, through his legal team led by former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN, he had formally written to the DSS, Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Nigeria Police Force, requesting investigations into the allegations.
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