Suspected Bandits Seize Kebbi Judge, Security Hunt Intensifies

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 the state.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Zogirma Road, shortly after the judge returned from a trip to Sokoto. According to sources, the armed men stormed his residence at about midnight and whisked him away.
A source familiar with the incident said the attackers fired sporadically during the operation but did not harm other occupants of the house. The abduction was immediately reported to security agencies and the leadership of the state judiciary.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, has deployed tactical and intelligence teams to secure the judge’s release.
Police operatives have since launched search operations across identified locations, including nearby forest areas, as efforts intensify to rescue Justice Bunza safely.
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as disturbing and disclosed that the court’s management has met with security agencies to discuss measures aimed at ensuring the judge’s prompt release.
As of the time of filing this report, no individual or group had claimed responsibility for the abduction. Security agencies said efforts to locate and rescue the judge are ongoing.