A Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, has been abducted by suspected bandits from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of the state.
The judge was reportedly kidnapped in the early hours of Sunday at his home along Zogirma Road, shortly after returning from a trip to Sokoto.
Sources said the gunmen stormed the residence and whisked him away after firing sporadically to scare residents.
“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” a source said.
The source added that no member of the judge’s household was injured during the attack.
“Immediately the incident occurred, we reported it to the appropriate authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,” the source added.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the judge was abducted from his residence around midnight.
He said the Commissioner of Police, Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had immediately deployed tactical and intelligence teams to secure the judge’s release.
“Our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” the police spokesman said.
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, described the incident as a disturbing development for the judiciary.
“I am not authorised to speak formally, but this is a painful moment for us. To hear that one of our judges was abducted at his residence is very disturbing,” the official said.
He disclosed that the management of the High Court had already met with security agencies in the state to strategise on securing the judge’s immediate release.
No group had claimed responsibility for the abduction as of the time of filing this report.
