BREAKING: Bandits Abduct Kebbi High Court Judge in Bunza

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
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The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Zogirma Road, shortly after the judge returned from a trip to Sokoto State.

Daily Trust Newspaper reported that sources familiar with the development, said the gunmen stormed the judge’s residence around midnight and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

Although the attackers fired sporadically during the operation, no member of the household was injured.

The source said the abduction took place shortly after the judge arrived home.

“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” the source said.

The source added that the matter was immediately reported to security agencies and the leadership of the judiciary in the state.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the command had launched a coordinated operation to rescue the judge.

“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” SP Usman stated.

He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, promptly deployed tactical and intelligence teams to track the abductors and secure the judge’s release.

“As we speak, our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” he added.

A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who spoke on condition of anonymity, described the incident as a disturbing 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 source further revealed that the management of the High Court had engaged security agencies in discussions aimed at ensuring the judge’s swift and safe release.

As of the time of filing this report, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, while security operatives continue search-and-rescue efforts across suspected hideouts in the area.