A serving magistrate in Niger State, Benjamin Zakari, narrowly escaped death when armed bandits attacked a commercial vehicle he was traveling in along the Kontagora–Tegina highway.
The assault, which occurred as Zakari returned from a one-day refresher workshop in Minna, underscores the growing dangers faced by judicial officers forced to rely on public transport in the state.
Eyewitnesses reported that a large group of heavily armed bandits emerged from the bush, barricading the busy highway and halting traffic. Zakari, stationed at the Magistrate Court, Rijau Division, was shot in the leg while attempting to flee the chaos.
The attackers, operating unchallenged for over three hours, offloaded passengers from one vehicle and herded them into a nearby forest. While the exact number of abductees remains unconfirmed, four other travelers reportedly sustained injuries.
The incident exposes the perilous conditions faced by Niger State magistrates, who, unlike their counterparts in other northern states, lack official vehicles and must share public transport with litigants and even convicted criminals.
A chilling precedent occurred two years ago when a female magistrate narrowly escaped harm after an ex-convict she had sentenced threatened her life while traveling together.
Quick action by fellow passengers averted disaster.A source within the judiciary, speaking anonymously, decried the "painful and sad" vulnerability of magistrates.
"They face constant risk from litigants and criminals they’ve sentenced. The government must urgently provide official vehicles, as other states do, to protect them," the source urged.
As of press time, authorities had yet to comment on the attack or the abductions, leaving residents and judicial workers anxious for action to address the escalating security threats on Niger State’s highways.
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