Suspected armed bandits have abducted a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan, in the Bunza Local Government Area of the state.
The judge was reportedly seized from his residence in Bunza LGA in the early hours of Sunday, shortly after returning from a trip to neighbouring Sokoto State.
The police spokesperson in Kebbi, Bashir Usman, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust.
“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight.”
Upon receiving news of the kidnapping, the Commissioner of Police, Umar Hadejia, immediately deployed tactical and intelligence units to track down the assailants and secure the judge’s safe release, the police spokesperson said.
As of the time of this report, no group has claimed responsibility for the abduction.
The attack marks the second high-profile kidnapping by armed groups in the region within 24 hours, following the abduction of a local government chairman in neighbouring Zamfara State.
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Armed groups in the Northwest have increasingly targeted prominent public figures—including judicial officers, local government leaders, traditional rulers, and religious leaders.
Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina states share vast, poorly patrolled forest reserves, including
the Rugu and Kuyambana forests. Bandits operate fluidly across state boundaries, conducting cross-border strikes before retreating into remote forested hideouts.
