Supreme Council for Shari’ah Calls for Investigation, Rejects Politicization of Allegations Against Senator Shehu Buba

Supreme Council for Shari’ah Calls for Investigation, Rejects Politicization of Allegations Against Senator Shehu Buba

The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called for clarity, thorough investigation and an end to what it described as the politicization of security matters surrounding renewed allegations linking Senator Shehu Buba Umar to banditry and terrorism.

In a press statement issued by its Secretary General, Mal. Nafi’u Baba-Ahmad, mni, on September 7, 2026, the Council said the allegations were grave and had potentially far-reaching implications for national security, stressing that matters involving terrorism and banditry must be handled with facts, caution and due process.

The Council said it had, for decades, engaged successive Nigerian governments and relevant authorities on the need to address terrorism, insurgency, banditry and other forms of violent crime.

According to the statement, the Council intensified consultations with security and government institutions from late 2023, particularly the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Department of State Services (DSS), and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), as part of efforts to explore solutions to the country’s security challenges.

It explained that, during this process, it engaged Senator Shehu Buba Umar in his then capacity as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

The SCSN stated that Senator Shehu Buba had been working with relevant national security institutions and was involved in discussions concerning the non-kinetic component of Nigeria’s response to terrorism and banditry.

The Council further recalled that when similar allegations emerged in October 2024, it publicly defended the senator and cautioned against the politicization of national security.

It said its position was based on the belief that serious allegations relating to terrorism and national security should not be treated casually or used as instruments for settling political scores.

Council Demands Clarification

Against the backdrop of the renewed allegations, the Council called on the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services to provide Nigerians with necessary clarification, within the limits of national security and without disclosing classified or operationally sensitive information.

It said such clarification would help distinguish legitimate security engagements, particularly those involving approved non-kinetic approaches, from attempts to misrepresent such engagements for political purposes.

The Council also urged the relevant authorities to conduct a swift, thorough and independent investigation into the allegations and make the outcome known to the public to the extent permitted by law and national security considerations.

The SCSN appealed to political actors, the media, civil society organisations and members of the public to exercise responsibility and restraint, warning that unsubstantiated accusations should not be allowed to become instruments of character assassination or political witch-hunts.

“Security matters must be handled with patriotism, facts and a genuine commitment to justice,” the Council maintained.

It further urged the security authorities to act decisively and transparently in resolving the issues surrounding the allegations, saying Nigerians needed to know the facts so that national attention could remain focused on the urgent task of defeating terrorism, banditry and insecurity.

The statement was signed by Mal. Nafi’u Baba-Ahmad, mni, Secretary General, Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria, and dated the 25th day of Rabi’ al-Awwal 1448 AH, corresponding to September 7, 2026.