Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court has reportedly been abducted by suspected bandits.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Zogirma Road in Bunza Local Government Area, according to sources familiar with the development.
Residents said the armed men struck shortly after midnight, not long after Justice Bunza returned from an official trip to Sokoto.
“He had only just arrived back from Sokoto when the attackers stormed the area and whisked him away,” one source disclosed.
Although the assailants reportedly fired gunshots during the operation, no one else was injured.
“The matter was immediately reported to the relevant authorities, including the leadership of the State High Court,” the source added.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the judge was abducted around midnight.
He explained that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, promptly ordered the deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to launch a rescue operation.
“Our operatives are carrying out intensive searches in identified locations, including nearby forest areas, with the aim of rescuing the judge safely and bringing those responsible to justice,” the police spokesperson said.
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, described the abduction as a deeply troubling development for the judiciary.
“This is a painful moment for the judiciary. The abduction of one of our judges is extremely disturbing,” the official said.
He further revealed that the court’s management had already met with security agencies in the state to discuss strategies for securing the judge’s release as quickly as possible.
