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.

A state high court judge, Justice Ebiyerin Umokoro, had been kidnapped in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in June 2025. He was freed after 12 days in captivity.

Report says gunmen attacked Justice Bunza shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto.

“He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen stormed his residence and took him away,” a source said.

The report said no one else in the house was injured, although the attackers fired several gunshots before leaving with the judge.

A brother to the abducted judge, Malam Shehu Yusuf Bunza, narrates that the family was deeply worried about his whereabouts.

Shehu said, “I was in Birnin Kebbi when one of his sons, Abdullahi, called me. He said about seven armed men followed his father as he was returning from Sokoto. As he drove into his compound and was getting out of his vehicle, they approached him.

“They asked if he was Justice Faruku. He denied it, saying Faruku had gone to Birnin Kebbi, but they insisted they knew he was the person they were looking for.

“He then asked them in Hausa, ‘Lafiya?’ They ordered him to keep quiet, but when he continued speaking, they brought out their guns and started shooting indiscriminately.

“They asked him to take them to his rooms, but he refused, saying there were married women inside.

“They also asked for one of his sons, Abdullahi, but he told them the boy had gone out. After that, they took him away on their motorcycles.”

Shehu said he asked what steps the family had taken after the incident, and Abdullahi told him they had reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bunza Police Station.

Kebbi State has witnessed bandit attacks in recent years, although the violence has largely been concentrated in the southern and eastern parts of the state.

Most of the worst-hit areas border forests in Niger, Zamfara and parts of Sokoto states, which armed groups use as hideouts.

One of the most notable incidents occurred in November 2025 when gunmen attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area, killed the vice principal and abducted 25 schoolgirls. The students were later rescued.

Although Bunza LGA has not been one of Kebbi’s banditry hotspots, the abduction of Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza represents a significant escalation in the state’s security situation.

Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was born in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State on the 15th November 1960.

His alma mata include Bunza Waje Primary School; Haliru Abdu Teachers College; College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Sokoto and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

He was called to the Bar in 1990 after completing the Nigerian Law School in Lagos.

Before his elevation to the bench, Justice Bunza served in different judicial capacities, including magistrate, Chief Magistrate, and Deputy Chief Registrar.

He was appointed as a high court judge in 2012.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kebbi State Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the abduction.

“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” he said.

The police spokesman said the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had deployed tactical and intelligence operatives after receiving the report.

“As we speak, our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” he said.

A member of the House of Representatives representing the Maru/Bungudu Federal Constituency in Zamfara State, Hon. Abdulmalik Zubairu, popularly known as Zannan Bungudu, has urged residents of his constituency to withdraw their savings and buy weapons to defend themselves against bandit attacks.

The lawmaker made the remarks during an interview with DCL Hausa on Sunday while reacting to the recent abduction of the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area, Nura Abdullahi, and the killing of four members of his security team by bandits.

“I advise the people I represent to withdraw their money and buy guns for self-defence. Whatever they can afford, even if it is an AK-47, AK-49, or any other weapon, they should contribute money, get the weapons if they know where to buy them, and protect their communities,” he said.

Zubairu acknowledged that his call was contrary to the Constitution but argued that the continued killing of innocent people had left communities with difficult choices.

“I know this is against the Constitution, but killing innocent people is also against the Constitution. If you are faced with two difficult situations that are both illegal, it is not bad if you choose one to save lives,” he said.

When asked whether his comments reflected a lack of confidence in the administrations of President Bola Tinubu and Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, the lawmaker said both governments were making efforts to tackle insecurity.

According to him, despite those efforts, ordinary people must also take responsibility for protecting themselves.

“They are doing their best. That is why it is important for ordinary people to also defend themselves and protect their communities,” he said.

The lawmaker argued that bandits are fewer in number than the people they attack, adding that their main advantage is their access to sophisticated weapons.

“The bandits are not more than the people. What gives them the upper hand is that they have better weapons. If the people also have weapons, they can defend themselves,” he said.

He further suggested that communities could work with security authorities by registering any weapons acquired for self-defence.

“The people can even go to the authorities and explain why they have the weapons. They can register them, stating that this weapon is in this person’s custody for the protection of this community. It is painful to continue watching innocent people being killed,” he added.

The lawmaker’s comments came a day after bandits attacked the residence of the Bungudu Local Government Chairman, Nura Abdullahi, in the early hours of Saturday.

During the attack, the gunmen reportedly killed four members of the chairman’s security detail, comprising two police officers and two local vigilantes, after engaging them in a gun battle.

The attackers then abducted Abdullahi along with his wife, children, and some other family members and took them into the forest

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the commission remains committed to conducting credible elections in which every valid vote will count.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), in Minna, Niger State, Amupitan said despite the pressures facing the commission, it would ensure that the will of the electorate prevailed.

“Our determination is to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote with confidence that their votes will be counted and reflected in the outcome of elections,” he said.

In his remarks, Abdulsalami called on Nigerians to support INEC in its efforts to deliver credible elections, saying sustained public confidence in the electoral process is vital to the country’s democracy.

Meanwhile, INEC on Sunday concluded it’s nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general election, urging eligible Nigerians who participated to await the display of the register.

The commission had fixed July 26, 2026, as the deadline for the exercise, which covered fresh voter registration, transfer of registration, correction of personal details and replacement of lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

In a reminder issued on Sunday, INEC urged eligible Nigerians to complete their registration before the close of the exercise.

“Time is running out, but there’s still an opportunity to make your vote count. Register to vote or update your voter information before the close of the Continuous Voter Registration today,” the commission said.

The electoral body had earlier extended the registration by two weeks to enable more eligible Nigerians to register ahead of the 2027 elections.

The CVR began with online pre-registration in August 2025 before physical registration commenced later that month.

INEC said the first phase, which ended in December 2025, recorded 2,572,054 completed registrations, comprising 1,503,832 online registrations and 1,068,222 physical registrations.

The second phase, which ran from January 5 to April 17, 2026, added 3,748,704 new registrations nationwide, while the third and final phase ended on Sunday.