Dalung urges DSS to publish probe into Senator Buba’s alleged bandit link
Former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung has called on the Department of State Services to make public the findings of its investigation into allegations linking Senator Shehu Buba Umar to suspected bandit Abubakar Idris. Dalung made the appeal in a Facebook post on September 3, 2026, stressing that the matter touches on national security and the integrity of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The allegations date back to September 2024, when Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed petitioned security agencies, claiming Senator Buba facilitated banditry, including the registration of Idris for the 2024 Hajj. Senator Buba has denied the claims, saying he sponsored pilgrims based on recommendations from elders and religious leaders. Security reports reportedly described Idris as a suspected bandit involved in kidnapping and banditry in Zamfara State, and said the DSS arrested him in August 2024 as he prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, seizing his passport.
At the time, Senator Buba chaired the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, a position Dalung said warrants careful scrutiny. He asked whether the DSS investigation is complete, if the senator was cleared, and whether anyone was prosecuted. Dalung also urged Hajj authorities to explain how Idris was registered and sponsored, and called for an independent review to restore public confidence.