Kebbi: Police launch search for abducted High Court judge

The Kebbi State Police Command has commenced a high-level coordinated search and rescue operation to secure the unconditional release of a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, who was abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Bunza Local Government Area of the state.

Justice Bunza was reportedly kidnapped at about midnight on Saturday when armed men stormed his residence along Zogirma Road shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto State.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State Command, SP Bashir Usman, told newsmen on Monday that the command was working to secure the judge’s safe rescue.

He disclosed that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had directed the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence operatives to secure the judge’s safe rescue.

According to him, security personnel had commenced intensive search and rescue operations in identified flashpoints, including nearby forests believed to be possible hideouts of the kidnappers.

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

In a related development, the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has directed all military formations involved in counter-terrorism operations across the North-West to intensify efforts against armed groups, urging troops to adopt every lawful and necessary measure to eliminate terrorists.

Matawalle gave the directive in a statement issued on Sunday by his Personal Assistant on Media, Ahmed Dan-Wudil, while condoling with victims of recent terrorist attacks in Zamfara State.

He instructed Operation FANSAN YAMMA and all military formations operating in Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto and Kaduna states to intensify operations by employing every lawful and necessary measure to dismantle terrorist networks through targeted military operations.