Bandits, in the early hours of Sunday, abducted Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court. The judge was abducted from his home along Zogirma Road in Bunza Local Government Area of the state.
The attack occurred at about 12:00am on Saturday night shortly after the judge returned from a trip to Sokoto, Daily Trust reported, citing sources.
“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” the source said.
He however said nobody in the house was hurt even as the attackers were shooting sporadically before moving away with the judge.
“Immediately the incident occurred, we reported to the appropriate authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Kebbi State Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the abduction to Daily Trust.
He said, “I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight”.
The PPRO said on receiving the report on his abduction, the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, immediately deployed tactical and intelligence operatives to ensure his safe rescue.
“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 pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident, describing it as a sad 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 judge was abducted at his residence is very disturbing”, he said.
He added that the management of the High Court has already met with heads of security agencies in the state to strategize on securing his immediate release.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the judge’s abduction as of the time of filing this report.