Fresh concerns over insecurity in Nigeria’s North-West have emerged following the abduction of Faruku Hassan Bunza, a Kebbi State High Court judge, by suspected bandits who stormed his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.
The judge was reportedly kidnapped around midnight on Sunday at his home along Zogirma Road, shortly after returning from a trip to Sokoto.
Sources familiar with the incident said the gunmen invaded the residence at about 12:00 a.m., firing sporadically before whisking him away. No member of the household was injured during the attack.
“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” a source told BusinessDay, adding that the incident was immediately reported to security agencies and the leadership of the state High Court.
Bashir Usman, Police Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State Police Command, confirmed the abduction, saying the command had commenced a coordinated rescue operation.
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“I can confirm that Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” Usman said.
According to him, Umar Muhammad Hadejia, the Commissioner of Police in the state, immediately deployed tactical and intelligence teams to track the kidnappers and secure the judge’s release.
“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 publicly, described the incident as a major setback for the judiciary.
“This is a painful moment for us. To hear that one of our judges was abducted from his residence is deeply disturbing,” the official said.
The source disclosed that the management of the High Court had already met with heads of security agencies in the state to review the situation and coordinate efforts aimed at securing the judge’s immediate release.
As of the time of filing this report, no individual or group had claimed responsibility for the abduction.
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The latest incident underscores the growing threat posed by armed criminal groups operating across parts of the North-West, where kidnappings for ransom have increasingly targeted public officials, traditional rulers and residents despite intensified security operations by federal authorities.
