Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court has been abducted by suspected bandits from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The abduction occurred around midnight on Sunday, shortly after the judge returned from a trip to neighbouring Sokoto State.
Details of the Attack
According to sources familiar with the incident, the attackers stormed Justice Bunza's residence on Zogirma Road soon after his arrival. They fired sporadic shots during the raid but did not injure any household members before taking the judge away. A source close to the family said, "He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away." The incident was immediately reported to the authorities, including the leadership of the Kebbi State High Court.
Police Response
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the abduction and stated that efforts are underway to rescue the judicial officer. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said, "I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight." He added that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Muhammad Hadejia, has deployed tactical and intelligence teams to track down the kidnappers. "As we speak, our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed," the PPRO said.
Judiciary's Reaction
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as a painful development for the judiciary. "I am not authorized 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. The High Court management has since met with heads of security agencies in the state to discuss strategies for securing Justice Bunza's immediate release.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction as of the time of this report. Security agencies continue search operations across identified locations as efforts intensify to rescue the judge unharmed.
