Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court has regained his freedom after spending more than a week in the custody of his abductors, bringing relief to his family, colleagues and the judiciary.
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the judge’s release on Monday, saying the information was verified by his family and the Kebbi State Ministry of Justice.
His release comes eight days after he was abducted by suspected armed bandits from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of the state in the early hours of July 26.
Confirming the development in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, said security agencies had intensified investigations to identify and apprehend those behind the abduction.
“The confirmation came from his family and the Kebbi State Ministry of Justice,” the police spokesman said, adding that security agencies had stepped up efforts to track down the kidnappers and ensure they face justice.
He appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could aid ongoing investigations, assuring that any information received would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
The command also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property across Kebbi State.
A member of Justice Bunza’s family, who confirmed the release, said the judge returned home safely on Monday morning.
The family described his return as one of the happiest moments of their lives after enduring days of anxiety and uncertainty.
They also expressed gratitude to the Kebbi State Government, security agencies and Nigerians who stood by them with prayers and words of encouragement throughout the ordeal.
As of the time of filing this report, it remained unclear whether any ransom was paid to secure the judge’s freedom.
Justice Bunza was abducted shortly after returning from Sokoto State when armed men invaded his residence along Zogirma Road in Bunza Local Government Area around midnight and whisked him away.
The attackers reportedly fired sporadically during the operation but did not harm other members of the household before escaping with the judicial officer.
The abduction drew widespread condemnation from the Nigerian Bar Association, which described it as a direct attack on the judiciary, the administration of justice and the rule of law.
The association urged security agencies to ensure the judge’s safe rescue and bring those responsible to justice, while also calling for improved security for judicial officers across the country.
Meanwhile, legal scholar and human rights advocate Chidi Odinkalu, reacting to the judge’s release, welcomed the development but stressed that the focus should now shift to identifying and prosecuting those responsible for the crime.
In a post on his X handle, Odinkalu said Nigerians would likely celebrate the judge’s freedom and move on without demanding accountability from the perpetrators.
“We are likely to forget to ask whom the abductors were. And no one will remember that it is a heinous crime to abduct anyone, least of all a judge,” he wrote.
He argued that lasting deterrence against such attacks would only come when kidnappers are arrested and prosecuted, adding that, “Short of death, the only thing sure enough to deter a person who can abduct a judge is the knowledge that he will stand trial for the crime before another judge.”
Justice Bunza’s release marks the end of an eight-day ordeal, but security agencies have maintained that investigations will continue until those behind the abduction are identified, arrested and prosecuted.
