Security agencies have launched a coordinated rescue operation following the abduction of Kebbi State High Court Judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.
The judge was reportedly kidnapped around midnight on Sunday after armed men suspected to be bandits stormed his home along Zogirma Road, Bunza, shortly after he returned from an official trip to neighbouring Sokoto State.
According to eyewitnesses and family members, the gunmen fired several shots into the air to scare residents before forcibly taking the judge from his residence. No injuries were reported among members of his family or household staff during the attack.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the command received information about the abduction shortly after it occurred and immediately activated rescue efforts.
“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” Usman said. “Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police immediately deployed tactical and intelligence operatives to ensure his safe rescue.”
The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, has directed specialised tactical teams and intelligence officers to intensify search operations across nearby forests and identified escape routes in a bid to locate the abductors and secure the judge’s safe release.
The abduction has sparked concern within the state’s judiciary, with officials describing the incident as a serious threat to the administration of justice and the safety of judicial officers.
Sources within the judiciary said senior officials of the Kebbi State High Court have already met with heads of security agencies to review the situation and strengthen security measures for judicial officers across the state.
As of the time of filing this report, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, and authorities said no ransom demand had been communicated.
Security agencies said search-and-rescue operations remain ongoing as efforts continue to secure the release of Justice Bunza unharmed.
