Revealed: How Senator, Accuser Traded Claims Over Alleged Links to Terror Kingpin
The controversy over alleged links between prominent Nigerians and armed groups in northern Nigeria has taken a fresh turn following claims by a man identified as Hassan about his childhood relationship with notorious bandit leader, Dogo Gide.
Hassan, whose allegations against a northern senator have gone viral on social media, said his familiarity with Gide dated back to their childhood, when both men lived in the same community and were friends.
The senator has denied the allegations linking him to banditry and challenged Hassan to present any evidence he has to the relevant security agencies.
According to the lawmaker, complaints had already been made to security authorities over the allegations, while investigations led to arrests and the matter was subsequently taken to court.
Hassan said he later relocated to Rivers State, where he was raised and educated, while Gide remained in their community and eventually became involved in banditry.
He claimed their childhood relationship became relevant years later when he encountered Gide again while working at the residence of the senator.
Hassan alleged that his education enabled him to observe and document activities around the lawmaker’s residence which he considered suspicious.
He claimed he began secretly recording and preserving information that he believed could expose people allegedly connected to criminal activities.
Hassan also said his familiarity with Gide and other individuals accused of banditry stemmed partly from having known some of them before they became involved in crime.
“I know Dogo Gide very well because we grew up in the same community and were childhood friends,” Hassan said in an interview that has circulated widely online.
He further claimed that Gide had limited formal education and struggled to operate a mobile phone, which Hassan said enabled him to obtain recordings that he later stored on a memory card.
Hassan alleged that his activities were eventually discovered at the senator’s residence, leading to an alleged plan to kill him.
He claimed Gide secretly warned him about the alleged plan despite their different paths, allowing him to escape.
Hassan said he eventually fled Nigeria with materials he claimed contained evidence of activities he had witnessed, although some of the materials were allegedly lost during his escape.
Senator denies allegations
The senator has strongly rejected the allegations.
In an interview with a radio station, the lawmaker said he first met Hassan after the latter was introduced to his foundation as an orphan seeking assistance with his education.
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He said he supported Hassan’s education and helped him gain access to both conventional and Islamic education.
The senator said he became concerned when Hassan decided to abandon his studies and take up car dealing.
He also alleged that Hassan secretly took photographs and recorded videos of people visiting his residence before their relationship deteriorated.
The lawmaker denied any connection to banditry and challenged Hassan to submit his evidence to the appropriate security agencies.
He said complaints had been lodged with security authorities and that investigations had resulted in arrests, with the matter now before the court.
The latest controversy followed Hassan’s identification of the senator as the politician he had previously accused without naming.
In the widely circulated interview, Hassan also alleged that individuals connected to Gide were brought to Abuja and linked the development to people around the senator.
Those claims have not been independently verified.
Who is Dogo Gide?
Dogo Gide, also known as Mallam Dogo Gide, has previously featured in reports on banditry in north-western Nigeria.
Vanguard reported in May 2021 that he was among bandit leaders operating in parts of Niger and Kaduna states.
In October 2023, the Nigeria Police Force said a suspect arrested over the abduction of students of Federal Government College, Yauri, confessed to participating in the operation alongside Kachala Dogo Gide.
The police described Gide as a gang leader who led about 100 men during the raid.
The renewed allegations have raised questions about possible interactions between criminal networks and people outside their immediate operational circles, particularly in communities where longstanding social relationships exist.
However, the allegations against the senator remain unproven in court based on the information contained in the report.
Political implications
The senator has maintained that the allegations are aimed at damaging his reputation and political career.
He has repeatedly challenged Hassan to submit whatever evidence he possesses to security agencies for investigation.
The dispute currently centres on two competing accounts: Hassan’s claim that his childhood relationship with Dogo Gide and his later experiences gave him access to information about an alleged network involving influential figures, and the senator’s account that Hassan was an individual he supported through education before their relationship broke down.
Neither side’s claims should be treated as established fact unless independently verified or determined through the appropriate investigative and judicial processes.
