The Kebbi State judiciary has been thrown into anxiety after gunmen suspected to be bandits abducted a serving High Court judge from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.
Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was reportedly taken away in the early hours of Sunday, shortly after returning from a trip to Sokoto State.
Journalists reports that the armed men stormed the Judge’s residence along Zogirma Road around midnight and whisked him away to an undisclosed location.
Sources familiar with the incident told reporters that the attackers arrived shortly after Bunza returned home from Sokoto.
“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” one of the sources said.
The source said no other person in the residence was injured during the attack, although the incident caused panic before the gunmen fled the area with the Judge.
“Immediately the incident occurred, we reported to the appropriate authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,” the source added.
*Police Deploy Tactical Teams*
The spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the abduction and said security operatives had launched an operation to rescue the Judge.
“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” Usman said.
He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Muhammad Hadejia, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence personnel after receiving information about the incident.
According to the police spokesman, security teams have expanded their search to suspected hideouts and forest areas in a bid to locate the abducted judge.
“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.
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, also confirmed the incident.
The official described the abduction as deeply troubling for the judiciary, particularly because the Judge was taken from his home.
“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,” he said.
He added that the leadership of the State High Court had begun discussions with heads of security agencies over efforts to secure Bunza’s release.
According to him, meetings had already been held with relevant security authorities to coordinate measures aimed at locating and rescuing the Judge.
