Bandits have abducted a judge of the Kebbi State High Court, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, in the latest attack highlighting the growing insecurity in parts of North-Western Nigeria.
The judge was kidnapped on Sunday night from his residence along Zogirma Road in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State, just hours after returning from a trip to neighbouring Sokoto State.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of judicial officers and other public officials as kidnappings by armed gangs continue across the North-West despite ongoing security operations.
A source familiar with the incident said Justice Bunza had only recently arrived home from Sokoto when heavily armed gunmen stormed his residence and took him away.
“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” the source said.
According to the source, the attackers fired several gunshots into the air during the operation, creating panic among residents of the area before escaping with the judge.
Although the gunmen shot sporadically throughout the attack, no member of the judge’s family or anyone else in the house was injured.
The source said the operation appeared to have been carefully planned, as the attackers completed the abduction within a short time before fleeing to an unknown destination.
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said the command was aware of the abduction and that efforts were underway to rescue the judge and arrest those responsible.
However, he did not provide further details about the ongoing operation or whether any contact had been established with the kidnappers.
Security agencies are believed to have launched a search operation across parts of Bunza and surrounding communities in an effort to track down the abductors.
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of Justice Bunza remained unknown, and there was no indication that the kidnappers had made contact with his family or demanded a ransom.
The abduction has sent shockwaves through the legal community in Kebbi State, with many expressing concern over the increasing targeting of prominent individuals by criminal groups operating across the region.
Judicial officers are regarded as key public officials whose security is considered essential to the administration of justice. The kidnapping of a serving High Court judge is therefore expected to attract heightened attention from both the state and federal authorities.
Kebbi State has, in recent years, witnessed a rise in attacks by armed bandits, particularly in communities bordering Sokoto, Zamfara and Niger states. The criminal groups have been involved in kidnappings, cattle rustling, attacks on villages and highway robberies.
Despite repeated military operations and joint security patrols involving the police, the military and other security agencies, many rural communities in the North-West continue to face threats from heavily armed gangs.
Kidnapping for ransom has become one of the major security challenges in the region, with victims ranging from farmers and traders to traditional rulers, politicians, students and security personnel.
In several cases, the abductors have demanded huge sums of money before releasing their victims, although authorities have consistently warned against paying ransom because it encourages further criminal activities.
The latest incident is likely to increase calls for stronger security around judges and other judicial officers, especially those serving in states affected by banditry and violent crime.
Legal practitioners have repeatedly stressed that attacks on members of the judiciary could undermine public confidence in the justice system and create fear among judicial officers carrying out their constitutional duties.
Justice Bunza’s abduction also comes at a time when security agencies are intensifying efforts to tackle armed banditry across the North-West through intelligence gathering, military offensives and increased deployment of personnel to vulnerable communities.
Authorities have maintained that operations against criminal gangs will continue until those responsible for attacks on communities are arrested or neutralised.
Residents of Bunza and nearby communities have appealed to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the safe return of the judge.
As investigations continue, police have urged members of the public to remain calm and provide any useful information that could assist security agencies in locating the abductors and rescuing Justice Bunza unharmed.