Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court has been abducted by suspected bandits who stormed his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of the state.
The judge was reportedly taken away in the early hours of Sunday after armed men invaded his home along Zogirma Road, shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto State.
Sources familiar with the incident said the attackers struck around midnight, forcing their way into the residence before whisking the judicial officer to an unknown destination.
According to the sources, no member of the judge’s family was injured during the attack, although the incident threw the neighbourhood into panic.
The abduction was immediately reported to security agencies and the leadership of the Kebbi State High Court.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the command had launched a coordinated rescue operation to secure the judge’s freedom.
Usman disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Muhammad Hadejia, ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence teams following reports of the abduction.
He added that security operatives are combing forests and other suspected hideouts across the area in a sustained effort to rescue Justice Bunza unhurt and apprehend the perpetrators.
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.
The official said the court’s leadership had commenced engagements with relevant security agencies to strengthen efforts aimed at locating and rescuing the abducted judge.
The abduction adds to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of Kebbi State, where residents have continued to grapple with recurring attacks by armed criminal groups.
Credit: NaijaNews except headline
