Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court has been abducted by suspected bandits from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Zogirma Road, shortly after the judge returned from a trip to Sokoto. According to sources, armed men stormed his home at about midnight and took him away.
A source familiar with the incident said the attackers fired sporadically during the operation but did not harm other occupants of the house. The abduction was immediately reported to security authorities and the leadership of the state judiciary.
The spokesperson of the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the abduction. He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, has deployed tactical and intelligence teams to secure the judge's release.
Police operatives have begun search operations across identified locations, including nearby forest areas, in an effort to rescue Justice Bunza safely.
A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, described the incident as troubling and confirmed that the court's management has met with security agencies to discuss measures aimed at ensuring the judge's prompt release.
As of the time of this report, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
Security agencies say efforts to locate and rescue the judge are ongoing.
