BAUCHI, Nigeria – The Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District and former Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, has voluntarily submitted himself to federal security agencies for a comprehensive investigation over recurring allegations linking him to banditry networks, terrorism financing, and armed kidnapping syndicates, legislative correspondents confirmed in Bauchi on Monday, September 14, 2026.
Addressing an emergency press conference in Bauchi, the federal lawmaker stated that he had presented himself to the Department of State Services (DSS), the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the Nigeria Police Force to enable professional investigators to independently establish the facts and clear his reputation.
Okay News reports that the senator explained that his decision was prompted by the continuous recirculation of criminal allegations across digital platforms, emphasizing that allegations bordering on national security and violent crimes demand thorough statutory scrutiny rather than political rhetoric.
Senator Umar linked the origin of the controversy to his past institutional responsibilities as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, explaining that the statutory assignment mandated frequent, classified consultations with military commands, intelligence agencies, and grassroots intermediaries to coordinate counter-insurgency and anti-kidnapping strategies.
He noted that because several operational engagements involved sensitive national security considerations, legitimate and official security interventions were subsequently distorted and weaponized by political detractors to orchestrate a smear campaign suggesting illicit ties to criminal elements.
“I will not ask Nigerians simply to take my word for it. That is precisely why I have submitted myself to the relevant security agencies. Let the professionals investigate,” Senator Umar stated during the briefing.
Recalling previous legal steps taken to clear his name, Umar explained that he petitioned the Nigeria Police Force in September 2025 regarding malicious publications, which led to the commencement of criminal proceedings against specific actors before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The lawmaker added that his legal counsel had also initiated international proceedings, requesting the intervention of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) concerning an individual believed to be coordinating the smear campaign from the Niger Republic.
The senator maintained, however, that judicial litigation alone was no longer adequate to resolve matters of such severe national significance, reiterating that statutory security agencies must be granted unhindered access to establish whether any factual foundation exists behind the claims.
Challenging his accusers to step forward with concrete documentation, Umar stated that anyone in possession of verifiable evidence should deliver it to security formations rather than circulating unverified claims on social media.
“If there is evidence against me, let it be produced. If there is none, those who have deliberately manufactured and circulated these allegations should equally be held accountable under the law,” he remarked.
Senator Umar concluded by appealing to his constituents and political supporters across Bauchi State to remain calm, avoid inflammatory rhetoric, and desist from retaliation, affirming that he would fully accept the verified findings of any impartial and evidence-based investigation conducted by federal authorities.
