JUST IN: Bandits Abduct Kebbi High Court Judge, Police Launch Rescue Operation

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

Suspected bandits have abducted a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza.

The judge was taken from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

He was reportedly abducted shortly after returning from a trip to Sokoto. The attack occurred at about midnight along Zogirma Road in Bunza town.

Sources said the gunmen stormed the judge’s 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 to the appropriate authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,” the source added.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State Command, SP Bashir Usman, said Justice Bunza was abducted from his residence around midnight.

“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” the police spokesman said.

Usman disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had immediately deployed tactical and intelligence operatives to 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 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 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.

He added that the management of the High Court had already met with heads of security agencies in the state to strategise on securing the judge’s immediate release.

As of the time of filing this report, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction.