A Sharia court judge in Gwarjo village, Katsina State, narrowly escaped death or abduction on Wednesday after spotting approaching bandits in time to flee through a window moments before armed gunmen stormed his courtroom firing sporadically and demanding his whereabouts.
He saw them coming. He jumped through a window. A motorcyclist got him out. It was that close.
Sharia court judge Mohammed Muktar survived a targeted attack on Wednesday after suspected bandits stormed his courtroom in Gwarjo village, Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State around midday, firing sporadically and repeatedly demanding to know where he was.
As reported by Daily Trust, Muktar spotted the approaching gunmen from a distance and made a split-second decision — escaping through a window before the attackers reached the courtroom. A commercial motorcyclist on the scene helped him flee the area before the bandits arrived.
The gunmen were incensed when they discovered their target was gone. An eyewitness said the attackers threatened to kill the judge if he ever returned to preside over court proceedings in the community — a chilling warning that has further rattled an already frightened population.
“The bandits entered the courtroom, shooting indiscriminately and repeatedly asking where the judge was. Fortunately, he had already escaped through the window, and a commercial motorcyclist helped him flee before they arrived,” a resident told reporters.
The brazenness of the midday attack on a court — a symbol of state authority and rule of law — has deepened fears among residents of Gwarjo, a community that has suffered repeated bandit incursions. The targeting of a sitting judge represents a significant escalation, signalling that armed groups in the area are now directly challenging judicial institutions.
Katsina State Police spokesperson Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu could not be reached for comment — calls and text messages sent to him went unanswered as of the time of this report.
No arrests have been publicly announced in connection with the attack. The judge’s current whereabouts and security arrangements have not been officially disclosed.
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