Bandits Storm Katsina Shari’ah Court, Judge Escapes Through Window in Dramatic Midday Attack

A Shari’ah court judge in Katsina State narrowly escaped death or possible abduction on Wednesday after heavily armed bandits invaded a courtroom in Gwarjo village, Matazu Local Government Area, unleashing panic among court officials and residents.

The daring attack, which occurred around midday, saw the gunmen storm the court premises, firing sporadically and demanding to know the whereabouts of the presiding judge, Mohammed Muktar.

Witnesses said the judge escaped moments before the attackers reached the courtroom after spotting the armed men approaching the area.

According to residents, Muktar quickly fled through a window in a desperate bid to save his life, while a commercial motorcyclist assisted him in escaping from the community before the gunmen could apprehend him.

“The bandits entered the courtroom shooting indiscriminately and repeatedly asking where the judge was,” a resident recounted. “Fortunately, he had already escaped through the window, and a commercial motorcyclist helped him get away before they arrived.”

Eyewitnesses said the attackers searched the court premises for the judge and became visibly enraged when they discovered that he had escaped.

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Another resident disclosed that the gunmen allegedly threatened to kill the judge should he return to preside over court proceedings in the community, raising concerns about the safety of judicial officers operating in insecurity-prone areas of the state.

The incident has further heightened anxiety among residents of Gwarjo, a community that has endured repeated bandit attacks in recent years. Locals fear that the latest assault on a judicial institution signals an alarming escalation in the activities of criminal groups operating across parts of Katsina State.

Residents have called on security agencies to strengthen protection around public institutions and vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks and restore public confidence in the administration of justice.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Katsina State Police Command were unsuccessful. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, did not respond to calls or text messages seeking comment as of the time of filing this report.

The attack underscores the growing security challenges facing rural communities in Katsina, where bandit groups have continued to target residents, public facilities and government officials despite ongoing security operations in the region.