The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria has called on the Department of State Services and the Office of the National Security Adviser to clarify their dealings with Senator Shehu Buba Umar amid renewed allegations linking the Bauchi lawmaker to banditry and terrorism.

The council also demanded a thorough and independent investigation into the allegations, insisting that the findings should be made public, subject to legal and national security restrictions.

Shehu Buba, who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District, has previously faced similar allegations, which the council said had resurfaced and warranted fresh clarification from the relevant security agencies.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Secretary-General, Naku Baba Ahmad, the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria said unresolved allegations involving a serving senator and alleged links to violent criminal networks could have serious implications for national security and public confidence in the government’s fight against terrorism and banditry.

The council, however, cautioned against politicising security matters or using unsubstantiated allegations as instruments of political persecution.

It said its position was informed by its longstanding engagement with successive administrations on ways to address terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime.

According to the organisation, its consultations intensified from late 2023 with the Office of the National Security Adviser, DSS and the Chief of Defence Staff as part of efforts to explore non-kinetic strategies for tackling the root causes and dynamics of terrorism and banditry.

It said Shehu Buba was engaged in the process in his then capacity as Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.

The council explained that the senator’s engagements with security institutions, including the ONSA and DSS, were, to its knowledge, part of legitimate efforts to support the government’s broader security architecture.

“To the best of our knowledge, such engagements and efforts formed part of legitimate initiatives aimed at supporting the broader national security architecture and were appreciated by the heads of these offices at the highest levels,” the statement said.

The council said it had defended Shehu Buba when similar allegations emerged in October 2024 because it believed allegations bordering on terrorism and national security should be subjected to proper investigation rather than exploited for political purposes.

However, with the allegations resurfacing, the SCSN said security authorities must now “clear the air” over the senator’s engagements with them.

It specifically urged the NSA and DSS to explain, within the limits of national security, the nature and circumstances of their interactions with Shehu Buba in connection with efforts to combat terrorism and banditry.

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

Beyond the requested clarification, the SCSN called for the allegations against the senator to be “swiftly, thoroughly and independently investigated,” with the outcome disclosed to Nigerians as far as permitted by law.

The organisation also urged politicians, journalists, civil society groups and members of the public to exercise restraint in commenting on the matter.

“While credible allegations must be properly investigated, unsubstantiated accusations must not be allowed to become weapons for character assassination or political witch-hunts,” it said.

The council maintained that a transparent resolution of the allegations would establish the facts surrounding the senator’s dealings with security agencies and allow the country to remain focused on combating terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of insecurity.