Aug 4, 2026

Family Pays ₦50m Ransom for Abducted Kebbi Judge, Disputes Police Rescue Claim

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria – August 4, 2026 — The family of Kebbi State High Court Judge Justice Faruk Hassan Bunza has confirmed that ₦50 million was paid as ransom to secure his release after eight days in the hands of armed bandits, directly contradicting earlier suggestions of a police rescue operation.

A family member who spoke anonymously said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦200 million but eventually settled for ₦50 million following days of tense negotiations.

The relative insisted that the judge’s freedom came through the ransom payment, not a security operation.

Heavily armed bandits stormed Justice Bunza’s residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State in the early hours of Sunday, July 26, 2026.

The judge was taken into captivity and spent over a week with his abductors before being freed on Monday.

According to the family, a relative delivered the ransom deep inside a forest roughly 70–80 kilometres from Birnin Kebbi.

The kidnappers, believed to number about five, also requested soft drinks — including malt drinks and fruit juice — before accepting the money and releasing the judge.

Justice Bunza has since been reunited with his family and is recovering at home. Relatives say he is currently focusing on healing from the trauma of the ordeal and will share more details only after full recovery.

The Kebbi State Police Command had announced the judge’s release and stated that security agencies were intensifying efforts to track down the perpetrators.

The command has consistently maintained its opposition to ransom payments and said investigations remain ongoing.

The family’s account, however, paints a different picture. Multiple relatives have publicly disputed any claim of a successful rescue, insisting that the negotiated payment was what secured the judge’s freedom.

The abduction marks the second recent case involving a serving High Court judge.

In June 2025, Bayelsa State High Court Judge Justice Ebiyerin Umokoro was also kidnapped, renewing fears about the vulnerability of judicial officers in parts of the country plagued by banditry and insecurity.

Residents and legal practitioners have expressed growing concern that high-profile targets, including judges, are increasingly at risk in the North-West, where armed groups continue to operate with relative impunity in remote forest areas.

As Justice Bunza recuperates, security agencies say they are still working to identify and arrest those responsible.

The conflicting narratives surrounding his release have once again thrown a spotlight on the difficult choices families face when loved ones are taken by bandits—and on the persistent challenges of protecting both citizens and key public officials in affected communities.