The family of Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruk Hassan Bunza, has disclosed that they paid a ₦50 million ransom to secure his freedom after he spent eight days in the custody of kidnappers.
Justice Bunza was abducted in the early hours of July 26 when armed bandits invaded his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State. His abduction marked the second kidnapping of a serving judge in Nigeria in recent times, following the abduction of Bayelsa High Court judge, Justice Ebiyerin Umokoro, in June 2025.
The judge was released on Monday, with his freedom confirmed by the Kebbi State Police Command, his family and the state Ministry of Justice.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bashir Usman, said Justice Bunza had safely reunited with his family. He added that security agencies had intensified efforts to identify and apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
The police also thanked residents and other security agencies for their cooperation during the operation and urged members of the public to continue providing credible information that could lead to the arrest of the kidnappers.
A family member, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorised to comment publicly, revealed that the abductors initially demanded ₦200 million but eventually accepted ₦50 million after several days of negotiations.
According to the source, the judge is currently at home receiving care as he recovers from the ordeal.
“We are still attending to him at home since his release on Monday. As you know, he needs time to recover from the trauma he went through.
“We will address the media when he has fully recovered, and we are ready to speak. We will then share details of his ordeal in the hands of his abductors. As for whether a ransom was paid, I can confirm that ₦50 million was paid,” the family member said.
The source also expressed gratitude to the Kebbi State Government, security agencies, the state judiciary and residents for their prayers, support and solidarity throughout the period of Justice Bunza’s captivity.
