BREAKING: Bandits Abduct Kebbi High Court Judge in Midnight Residence Attack

BREAKING: Bandits Abduct Kebbi High Court Judge in Midnight Residence Attack

Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria – In a brazen attack that has sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s judicial community, suspected bandits have abducted a High Court judge from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, a judge of the Kebbi State High Court, was seized from his home along Zogirma Road in the early hours of Sunday, July 26, 2026, shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto State. The abduction is the latest in a growing wave of kidnapping of prominent Nigerians in the country’s troubled North-West region.

According to multiple sources familiar with the incident, the armed men stormed the judge’s residence around midnight, firing several gunshots to intimidate residents and security personnel before whisking their victim away to an unknown destination. “He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” a source close to the family told Daily Trust. The assailants were reportedly shouting during the operation, which alerted neighbors in the area, but the swift and aggressive nature of the raid prevented any immediate intervention.

In a small relief, no member of the judge’s household sustained physical injuries during the attack. The gunmen focused solely on abducting the judge and made no attempt to harm his family or domestic staff. “Immediately the incident occurred, we reported to the appropriate authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,” the source added.

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Confirming the abduction, the Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said security operatives had launched a full-scale rescue mission. “I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” Usman stated. The Police Commissioner, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, immediately deployed tactical teams and intelligence personnel to track the abductors, according to the spokesperson. “As we speak, our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” the PPRO said. Security sources indicate that the operation involves collaboration with local vigilantes and military units stationed in the region, as bandits often flee into dense forest corridors spanning Kebbi, Zamfara, and Sokoto states.

A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, described the incident as a painful and disturbing development for the judiciary. “I am not authorized to speak formally, but this is a painful moment for us. To hear that one of our judges was abducted at his residence is very disturbing,” the official said. The official revealed that the management of the High Court had already held emergency meetings with heads of security agencies in Kebbi State to coordinate efforts aimed at securing the judge’s immediate and safe release. “Justice Bunza is a dedicated judicial officer. His abduction is not just an attack on him personally, but an attack on the rule of law and the entire justice system,” the official added.

As of the time of filing this report, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of Justice Bunza. However, banditry and mass abductions for ransom have become rampant across Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central regions, with judicial officers, politicians, and traditional rulers increasingly becoming targets.

The abduction of Justice Bunza comes amid a troubling rise in kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria. Just days earlier, suspected bandits reportedly abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area in neighbouring Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, in a late-night raid that left four security personnel dead. In May 2015, Justice Samuel Obayomi of the Kogi State High Court was also kidnapped on his way to work, with his police orderly shot dead during the attack. He was released after 34 days in captivity. The judiciary in Nigeria has repeatedly called for enhanced protection for judicial officers, many of whom carry out their duties in volatile regions without adequate security coverage.

Security analysts believe the bandits may soon make contact with the judge’s family or the authorities to demand a ransom, though police have not confirmed any communication with the abductors. The Kebbi State Government has yet to issue an official statement, but sources say Governor Nasir Idris has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely. The National Judicial Council (NJC) is also expected to weigh in on the matter, as the abduction of a sitting High Court judge raises serious questions about the safety of judicial officers across the country.

This is a developing story. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available on the rescue operation for Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza and the broader security situation in Kebbi State. If you have any information that could assist in the safe rescue of Justice Bunza, please contact the Kebbi State Police Command or the nearest security agency.

BREAKING: Bandits Abduct Kebbi High Court Judge in Midnight Residence Attack