ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of
a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza after suspected Bandits invaded his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.

Confirming the abduction, the State Police spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said the judge was taken from his residence around midnight.

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

He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, had immediately deployed tactical and intelligence teams to track the abductors and rescue the judge.

“Our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest hideouts, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” the police spokesperson said.

NATIONAL WAVES learnt that the gunmen stormed the judge’s home along Zogirma Road at about 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, shortly after he returned from a trip to Sokoto State.

The attackers fired sporadically into the air before whisking the judge away. No member of his household was kidnapped or molested during the operation. He had just returned from Sokoto when the gunmen invaded his residence and abducted him,” a source squealed

A family member who craved for anonymity said “Immediately the incident happened, we alerted the relevant authorities, including the leadership of the High Court,”

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

A three-storey private hostel warehousing students of Federal Polytechnic Oko has collapsed in Amokpala, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, leaving a yet-to-be-identified number of occupants trapped beneath the rubble.

The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, reportedly caved in late Sunday night.
The collapse of the hostel located near Tonimas Filling Station in the Oko Polytechnic community sparked panic among residents and students as cries for help were reportedly heard from beneath the debris.

Emergency responders launched rescue operations, with personnel from the Anambra State Police Command, the Anambra State Fire Service, the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other security and emergency agencies deployed to the scene.

Several injured victims have so far been rescued from the collapsed structure and taken to a hospital in Oko for medical treatment.

Search-and-rescue teams, however, continue efforts to reach other occupants believed to be trapped under the debris.

Authorities said the exact number of casualties and those trapped could not be immediately confirmed, as rescue operations were still ongoing at the time of filing this report.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said a police-led joint security team swiftly secured the area and coordinated emergency response efforts to prevent further loss of life.

Ikenga urged residents to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information, and stay away from the scene to allow rescue workers unhindered access to carry out their operations.

He added that the police command would provide further updates as more verified information becomes available.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

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