The freed Kebbi State High Court Judge, Justice Faruk Hassan Bunza, has narrated how he was taken to the Dutsen Bandan enclave in Dakingari, Kebbi State, with his face covered.
Justice Bunza was abducted from his residence in Unguwar Chaki quarters in Bunza under the Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State on 26 July 2026 and released on August 3, 2026.
Bunza, who opted to speak off-camera, said,” About five armed men suspected to be bandits stormed my residence around midnight, firing several shots into the air to frighten residents before ordering me to follow them to an undisclosed destination with my face tied with a small wrap”.
“I thought they were taking me far, but ended up keeping me in one of their enclaves called Dutsen Bandan Hill in Dakingari under Suru Local government with only 20 of their gang members guarding us”, he added.
According to him, “when these bandits stormed my residence and asked me to follow them, I didn’t resist; I just followed them. They initially headed east along a road beside his house before turning north towards a small irrigation area known as Fadama. They later returned to the main road, crossed it and headed towards a hill west of Bunza town.
He added that from there, the abductors moved south towards the Bunza-Kamba Road before crossing the road and continuing on foot.
He said he trekked approximately 25 kilometres barefoot before reaching Tungar Bandan junction, where the kidnappers parked their motorcycles to avoid detection.
He revealed that they subsequently travelled another 24 kilometres by motorcycle before arriving at Dutsen Bandan, which he identified as the abductor’s main camp in Dakin Gari, headquarters of Suru Local Government Area.
He, however, noted that, overall, he was kept about 49km away from his family for 9 days.
Later, the Kidnappers demanded N200m ransom from his family members.
The judge further explained that following negotiations, the ransom was reportedly reduced to N50 million, which his relatives said was eventually paid on 3 August and was abandoned on a hill after most of the kidnappers left their camp following the payment.
He said that he met two other kidnapped men who were also being held at the camp when he arrived, while about five armed men guarded the area.
According to him, the 20 bandits operated from the camp, with some living there with their families, which he said the government can easily crush.
The judge also revealed that the presence of their families at the camp could complicate any military or security operation.
He said the camp operation is more like a settlement, with the bandits cooking, sleeping and interacting with their families.
He said the kidnappers showed him two photographs on their phone the day after he arrived at the camp, one of which was his photograph.
He said the other picture shown to him belonged to the chairman of the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
He said the kidnappers claimed they were instructed to abduct him and the chairman of Bungudu Local Government of Zamfara, but refused to disclose who instructed them.
“One thing that surprised me was that the bandits showed me a newspaper report about my abduction,” the judge said.
The Judge said the kidnappers told him President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed that N200 million be paid for his release, but that someone had stopped the payment.
According to Bunza, his abductors monitored media reports and social media discussions surrounding his abduction and ransom negotiations.
“Because they are money mongers, thinking that I am wealthy, that was why they were happy to be with them.”
“They told me that they had been informed that I was among the richest people in Bunza and allegedly owned several cars, houses, farmlands and other properties”, the judge added.
He also said his judicial duties could have been another possible reason for his abduction, noting that he handled high-profile criminal cases involving bandits and kidnappers.
“Based on my interaction with these people, I fully understood that my abduction was purely for ransom,” he said.
Bunza added that he was given food twice daily, as well as bottles of water and Maltina. He said he requested Tuwon Shinkafa or Semovita with Okra Soup, which was given as much as he needed.
The Judge disclosed that victims in the enclave were not given food.
“Whenever they asked for drinking water, they were given dirty water from the stream,” Bunza said, adding that his face was always covered whenever food was brought to him.
He said such done in order to prevent him from seeing his abductors.
According to him, his abductors were constantly nervous and vigilant, at one point warning him not to cough because they feared the sound could alert security personnel or people nearby.
“When I realised it was around midnight and was alone in the enclave, I then removed the covering from my face and came down from the den and started moving in the heavy rain”, he said.
According to him, he trekked close to a community and had to hide and sleep until morning.
The following day, he continued moving until he reached Kwanar Bandan, where he encountered villagers and sought a commercial motorcycle to take him home.
He said one motorcyclist demanded N8,000, but later, a driver of a Toyota Corolla, conveying three passengers, charged him N2,000 to his hometown, Bunza.
“Before we reached my town, I bought firewood for 3000 at Dakingari junction, which enabled the driver to take me home,” he said.
We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join THISTIMES on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →
Join Our WhatsApp Channel
