Kebbi Judge Reveals How Bandits Abducted, Held Him For 9 Days

Justice Faruk Hassan Bunza of the Kebbi State High Court has recounted how he was abducted from his residence, taken to a remote bandits’ camp and held for nine days before escaping after his abductors abandoned him.

Justice Bunza was kidnapped in the early hours of July 26, 2026, from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State and regained his freedom on August 3.

Speaking at his residence in Unguwar Chaki quarters, Bunza, the judge said five armed men stormed his home around midnight, fired shots into the air and ordered him to follow them.

He said the abductors took him through several routes before making him trek about 25 kilometres barefooted to Tungar Bandan junction, where they mounted motorcycles and travelled another 24 kilometres to Dutsen Bandan, their main camp in Dakin Gari, headquarters of Suru Local Government Area.

“In all, I was kept about 49km away from my family for nine days,” he said.

At the camp, Justice Bunza said he met two other kidnapped Fulani men, while about five armed bandits guarded them.

He said the following day, his captors showed him photographs of himself and the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nura Umar Abdullahi.

“They asked if it was me and said they were ordered to kidnap both of us, but they didn’t mention who gave the order,” he said.

The judge said his abductors also monitored media reports about his kidnapping and told him they were aware of reports that N200 million had been earmarked for his release.

“They also showed me a newspaper report about my abduction. They said they heard President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed that N200m be paid for my release, but someone stopped it. That shows they monitor news and social media,” he said.

Justice Bunza said fewer than 20 bandits operated from the camp and relied on informants in surrounding communities for information.

He said the younger members of the group acted as informants and errand boys, while the adults served as armed foot soldiers.

Although heavily armed, the judge described the bandits as nervous and constantly alert.

“There was a day they warned me to stop coughing. They were very scared because they thought I was coughing to alert people to our location,” he said.

Justice Bunza said he was not physically assaulted during his captivity but was kept with his face covered to prevent him from identifying his captors.

“They were friendly throughout the nine days. They never humiliated me. The only things that troubled me were climbing the hill and the long trek,” he said.

He disclosed that his family initially faced a N200 million ransom demand, which was eventually reduced to N50 million.

According to him, the ransom was paid on August 3, after which most of the bandits left the camp, leaving two men behind to guard him.

The judge said he later overheard the two arguing, with one suggesting that he should be killed.

“Around 5 to 6pm, I realised that I was alone. I then removed the covering from my face and came down from the hill,” he said.

He trekked through the night but hid until morning because he feared the nearby village could also be occupied by bandits.

The following day, he reached Kwanar Bandan, where he met villagers and secured transportation towards Bunza.

He said he initially negotiated with a commercial motorcyclist before later getting a lift in a tinted Toyota Corolla. To persuade the driver to take him directly home, he bought firewood at Dakingari junction.

“When I got home, relatives and other sympathisers were outside. Because of the tinted glass, no one recognised me until I came out from the car. Then people started jubilating,” he said.

Justice Bunza said he believed he was targeted partly because of his judicial duties and partly because the bandits considered him wealthy.

“As a judge I handle high-profile criminal cases including banditry and kidnapping. For that reason alone, the bandits might have targeted me. Two, they are money mongers looking for rich people,” he said.

He, however, insisted that the experience would not affect his commitment to his judicial duties.

“Never. I swear to Almighty Allah, nothing on this earth can change my attitude and commitment to my duties as a judge,” he said.

The judge called for improved security for judicial officers, particularly at their residences, warning that judges handling banditry and kidnapping cases could be targeted by criminals.

“When I was a magistrate and chief magistrate, I had permanent security at my house. Now I don’t. Security is on a shift basis. Despite the risk of our job, we are not provided with security at our residences,” he said.

He urged the government to provide secure residential quarters and permanent security for judges, especially at night.

Justice Bunza also identified poverty, unemployment and illiteracy as factors contributing to banditry and kidnapping, urging the government to invest more in education and create employment opportunities.

“If government tackles the problems of poverty, unemployment and education, the menace of banditry and kidnapping will be drastically reduced, if not completely wiped out,” he said.

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