A Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, has been abducted by gunmen at his residence along Zogirma Road in Bunza Local Government Area of the state.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, marks the second abduction of a serving judge in recent times.
A state high court judge, Justice Ebiyerin Umokoro, had been kidnapped in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in June 2025. He was freed after 12 days in captivity
DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS gathered that the gunmen attacked Justice Bunza shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto.
“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” a source said.
The source added that no one else in the house was injured, although the attackers fired several gunshots before leaving with the judge.
“Immediately the incident occurred, we reported it to the appropriate authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kebbi State Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the abduction.
“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight.
The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had deployed tactical and intelligence operatives after receiving the report.
“As we speak, 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 on the matter, described the incident as a sad development for the judiciary.
“I am not authorised to speak officially, but this is a painful moment for us. To hear that one of our judges was abducted from his residence is deeply disturbing,” he said.
He added that the management of the High Court had already met with heads of security agencies in the state to strategise on securing the judge’s immediate release.
As of the time of filing this report, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction.
How Justice Bunza was kidnapped – Family
A brother of the abducted judge, Malam Shehu Yusuf Bunza, told our correspondent that the family was deeply worried about his whereabouts.
Shehu said, “I was in Birnin Kebbi when one of his sons, Abdullahi, called me. He said about seven armed men followed his father as he was returning from Sokoto. As he drove into his compound and was getting out of his car, he was picked up.”
