ABUJA, NIGERIA — SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 — Explosive new video evidence circulating online has triggered widespread outrage after a whistleblower, identified as Hassan, accused Senator Shehu Buba Umar of providing firearms and ammunition to bandits shortly before a deadly massacre in Benue State.
In a video statement released across social media, Hassan disclosed that he took extreme personal risks to capture footage documenting the lawmaker’s alleged complicity.
Undercover Recording at Senator’s Residence
Narrating how he captured the footage, Hassan claimed he was forced to conceal a mobile phone inside a restroom to secretly record armed individuals collecting weapons and ammunition directly from Senator Buba’s property.
“I smuggled a phone to the toilet to record them,” Hassan stated in the recording. He further alleged that the bandits who acquired arms from the residence were subsequently involved in launching violent attacks on innocent communities in Benue State.
Adding to the controversy, Hassan noted the irony that Senator Buba—who serves as a high-ranking member of the Senate Committee on National Security—was later part of a delegation dispatched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay an official condolence visit to the victims of the Benue attack.
Public Outcry and Demands for Security Probe
The revelations have sent shockwaves across the country, igniting fierce debates over state-sponsored banditry and internal collusion within high levels of government.
Civil society groups and social media commentators are demanding an immediate, independent investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force to verify the authenticity of the recordings and determine Senator Buba’s involvement. Concerns have also mounted regarding Hassan’s safety, with human rights advocates urging federal authorities or international organizations to provide urgent protection for the whistleblower.
Neither Senator Shehu Buba Umar nor the Presidency has issued an official response to the latest allegations as of press time.
