Fresh facts emerge on how gunmen abducted Kebbi High Court judge

Kebbi State High Court Judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, was abducted from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area early Sunday by armed gunmen, marking the second abduction of a serving judge in Nigeria in recent times.

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, following the kidnap of Bayelsa State High Court Judge, Justice Ebiyerin Umokoro, in Yenagoa in June 2025, who was freed after 12 days in captivity.

Daily Trust gathered that the gunmen attacked Justice Bunza shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto, firing several gunshots before taking him away, though no one else in the house was injured.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kebbi State Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the abduction, saying the Commissioner of Police had deployed tactical and intelligence operatives to comb identified locations, including forests, to rescue the judge.

A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court described the incident as deeply disturbing, noting that management had already met with security agency heads to strategise on securing the judge’s release.

A brother of the abducted judge, Malam Shehu Yusuf Bunza, narrated that about seven armed men confronted Justice Bunza as he arrived home, insisting they knew his identity despite his denial, before opening fire and eventually taking him away on motorcycles when he refused to let them into rooms occupied by women in the house.

Shehu described his brother as a peaceful, humble man with no known enemies, appealing to the government and security agencies to rescue him.

Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Nasir Idris, said the governor had directed security personnel to intensify rescue efforts, expressing optimism that the judge would soon be reunited with his family.

As of the time of filing this report, no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction.