Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Shari'ah court judge in Katsina State narrowly escaped death or possible abduction on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, after suspected bandits stormed a courtroom in Gwarjo village, Matazu Local Government Area, firing sporadically and demanding to know his whereabouts. The judge, Mohammed Muktar, reportedly spotted the approaching gunmen from a distance and escaped through a window moments before they reached the courtroom, fleeing with the help of a commercial motorcyclist.
The attack occurred around midday when the assailants invaded the court premises, firing several shots and repeatedly asking for the judge. According to residents who spoke to Daily Trust, Muktar's quick thinking saved his life. "The bandits entered the courtroom, shooting indiscriminately and repeatedly asking where the judge was. Fortunately, he had already escaped through the window, and a commercial motorcyclist helped him flee before they arrived," a resident said.
Another eyewitness said the attackers became enraged after discovering that the judge had escaped and threatened to kill him if he ever returned to preside over court proceedings in the community. The assailants openly vowed to hunt him down if he continued performing his judicial duties in Gwarjo. The attack sent residents and court users fleeing for safety as the heavily armed assailants stormed the court premises in what witnesses described as a brazen attempt to either kill or abduct the judge.
The incident has heightened fears among residents of Gwarjo, a community that has repeatedly suffered attacks by bandits. When contacted, the Katsina State Police Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, could not be reached for comment as calls and text messages sent to him were not responded to.
The attack on the Shari'ah court in Gwarjo highlights the deteriorating security situation in Katsina State, where bandits have increasingly targeted not only rural communities but also government institutions and judicial officials. The ability of armed groups to storm a court of law in broad daylight, fire shots, and hunt for a judge underscores the extent to which the state's authority has been eroded in parts of the North-West. For Judge Mohammed Muktar, the window escape may have saved his life, but the threat remains. The gunmen's warning that they would kill him if he returns to the community is a chilling reminder that even the judiciary is not immune to the violence that has consumed the region.
This is not the first time bandits have struck a Shari'ah court in Katsina. In July 2021, gunmen abducted a judge from a Sharia Court in Bauren Zakat village in Safana Local Government Area. The recurring attacks on judicial officers highlight the vulnerability of the justice system in the face of escalating criminality. The attack on Judge Muktar comes amid a broader wave of violence in the North-West, including a separate incident on the same day in which suspected bandits invaded Tsamaye village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing at least seven people and abducting several others.
As security agencies continue to grapple with the banditry crisis, the attack on the Shari'ah court serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for decisive action to restore order and protect institutions of justice. For the people of Gwarjo and countless other communities across the North-West, the question remains: how many more judges, how many more courts, and how many more innocent lives must be lost before lasting security measures are implemented?
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