A judge of the Upper Customary Court, Sabon Tasha Division in Kaduna state, Janet Galadima, and her four children have been kidnapped by bandits.
The incident was confirmed by the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan. He stated that the judge and her children were abducted from their residence in the Mahuta area of Chikun local government on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis on June 24, 2024.
Tragically, the bandits later killed her 14-year-old eldest son, Victor Galadima. His body was discovered by police operatives from the Sabon Tasha Division at Ungwan Bayero of Dutse village, near the toll gate along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
The police spokesman added that the Command’s anti-kidnapping squad, in collaboration with other security agencies, is working tirelessly to rescue the abducted judge and her remaining three children and to apprehend the bandits.
Commenting on the incident, a human rights activist and the chief executive officer of the House of Justice, Barrister Gloria Ballason, said that the bandits killed the woman’s 14-year-old eldest after the family could not raise the ransom they demanded, while the judge and remaining three children are still in their custody.
She noted that the abduction of the judge and her children is contrary to Article 7 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, and Sections 33 and 14(2)b of the 1999 Constitution that guarantees the safety of the judge, describing the murder of woman’s the 14-year-old son as “horrible and blood-curdling”.
The human rights lawyer has called on security agencies and the Kaduna State government to ensure the swift rescue of the abducted judge and her three children.
Additionally, the Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has condemned the abduction and the brutal murder of the judge’s son.
In a statement, NMA Public Relations Officer Shuaibu Joga described the bandits’ demand for N300 million to release the judge and her children as outrageous.
He also disclosed that security agencies have been informed about the incident and that negotiations with the kidnappers are ongoing.
