A Shari’ah Court judge narrowly escaped death or possible abduction after suspected bandits invaded a courtroom in Katsina State, firing gunshots and searching for him during a brazen attack. The incident occurred on Wednesday at the Shari’ah Court in Gwarjo village, Matazu Local Government Area, where the attackers reportedly stormed the premises while court proceedings […]
A Shari’ah Court judge narrowly escaped death or possible abduction after suspected bandits invaded a courtroom in Katsina State, firing gunshots and searching for him during a brazen attack.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at the Shari’ah Court in Gwarjo village, Matazu Local Government Area, where the attackers reportedly stormed the premises while court proceedings were ongoing.
According to eyewitnesses, the armed men entered the courtroom firing sporadically and repeatedly demanded to know the whereabouts of the presiding judge, Mohammed Muktar.
However, the judge reportedly spotted the approaching gunmen before they reached the courtroom and quickly escaped through a window moments before they arrived.
Residents said a commercial motorcyclist immediately came to his aid and helped him flee the area, a move believed to have saved his life.
A witness said the gunmen became enraged after discovering that the judge had escaped and allegedly threatened to kill him if he ever returned to preside over court proceedings in the community.
The motive behind the attack has not been officially established, and it remains unclear whether the assailants intended to abduct or kill the judge.
As of the time of filing this report, the Katsina State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident. Authorities are also yet to confirm whether any arrests have been made or if security has been reinforced around the affected community.