The embattled Senator Shehu Buba, who represents the South Senatorial District of Bauchi State, is currently facing a storm of allegations and constituent discontent following revelations linking him to individuals with terrorist ties in Northern Nigeria. The situation has escalated rapidly, with the Department of State Services (DSS) investigating his potential involvement with wanted terror suspects. This deepening scandal is fueling grassroots movements within his constituency, who are now calling not only for accountability but also for a recall of the senator himself.
Sources close to the senator and political observers suggest that Buba’s once formidable political career may be in jeopardy, as his actions come under intense scrutiny. The senator, who once enjoyed a degree of respect and influence within Bauchi State, is now witnessing his reputation unravel amidst revelations of his alleged connections with Abubakar Idris, a known terrorist figure arrested on August 17, 2024. Idris’s arrest reportedly implicated Buba in ways that have raised alarm among his constituents, who are outraged by the shocking possibility that one of their own elected leaders could be among the people abetting terrorism/banditry and causing more hardship for them.
This backlash against Senator Buba has sparked the initiation of a formal recall process, a rare and challenging political maneuver that shows the depth of dissatisfaction among his constituents. The movement has taken shape, with growing numbers of registered voters signing a petition to force the senator’s recall, aiming to reach the threshold required by law to initiate a referendum. If the recall process gathers sufficient momentum, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be compelled to conduct a vote, giving Buba’s constituents a historic opportunity to remove him from office—a move that would send serve as a lesson to other political office holders fueling evil with their positions.
In addition to this ongoing move, information available to 247ureports indicate that Senator Buba’s predicament is further exacerbated by recent revelations questioning his true origin. Investigations indicate that Buba, whose background was previously unknown to many in Bauchi, originally hails from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in Plateau State. He reportedly moved to Nabardo village in Bauchi’s Toro Local Government Area in 2001 under tenuous circumstances. This discovery has fueled resentment among constituents, some of whom are now challenging his legitimacy as a representative of Bauchi State.
“We thought he was one of us, but he’s not even a Bauchi indigene,” an anonymous community leader lamented in an interview with this reporter.
Senator Buba’s political rise is as controversial as it is unlikely. After moving to Bauchi, he initially found a foothold through family ties; his sister was married to Abdullahi Yuguda, a relative of former Bauchi Governor Isa Yuguda. Securing a position as a teacher in a local primary school, Buba gradually wove himself into the political fabric of Bauchi State, securing an appointment as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Nomadic Education under Governor Yuguda’s administration. However, his tenure was short-lived, as he was reportedly dismissed after just three years. Undeterred, Buba shifted allegiances, joining former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign machinery and aligning himself with the influential Miyetti Allah, an association that has long been enmeshed in Nigeria’s complex socio-political landscape.
By 2019, Buba’s political ambitions took a significant leap forward when he was appointed Caretaker Chairman of Toro Local Government Area, a position conferred upon him by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. Despite being relatively obscure, Buba’s career trajectory continued upward, and in 2022, he declared his senatorial ambitions. He secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination under contentious circumstances, with insiders attributing his success to the influence of Yakubu Dogara, a prominent political figure in Northern Nigeria.
“The way he clinched that nomination was strange, almost as if it was handed to him. How he won the election still remains a mystery to most of us,” a constituent revealed, casting doubt on the legitimacy of Buba’s political rise.
Upon winning the senatorial seat, Buba was assigned the powerful position of Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence—a role traditionally reserved for senior and highly reputable lawmakers. His appointment has been met with widespread disapproval, with critics labeling it as an anomaly and a grave error in judgment by the National Assembly.
“To have someone with such dubious affiliations in charge of national security oversight is a dangerous gamble,” a political analyst told 247ureports.
Speculations also abound that Buba’s appointment as the Committee Chairman was not based on merit but was orchestrated to undermine state authorities in Bauchi, reflecting the complex power dynamics at play.
“He was placed in charge of the Committee “to fight” the Bauchi government,” a source opined.
It was further gathered that these recent allegations against Buba have now forced him to avoid public appearances, especially in his constituency, with many speculating that he fears a backlash from angry residents. Since Idris’s arrest, Buba’s visibility has sharply declined, with no known public engagements or constituency visits, further adding to the speculation that he is distancing himself from the growing outrage.
“His absence speaks volumes,” said a political observer.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned.
