The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the killing of ARISE News anchor, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, during a robbery in Abuja.
According to ARISE News, the arrests followed a coordinated operation led by the Scorpion Squad under the FCT Command, based on intelligence from forensic experts at Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC. The Commissioner of Police had ordered a manhunt after the September 29, 2025, attack at Unique Apartment in Gishiri Village, Katampe District, which occurred around 3:30 a.m.
The statement noted that “shortly after the robbery incident that took place 29/09/2025 at about 0330hrs at Unique Apartment, Katampe District, Mabushi, which tragically led to the deaths of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and Barnabas Danlami, four (4) of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, Alkamu, Sirajo and one other person were apprehended through the tracking of phones stolen from the apartment during the robbery.”
The suspects arrested include Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu (aka Abba), Sani Sirajo (aka Dan Borume), Mashkur Jamilu, Suleiman Badamasi (aka Dan-Sule), Abdul Salam Saleh, Zaharadeen Muhammad, Musa Adamu, Sumayya Mohammed, Isah Abdulrahman, and Musa Umar.
During interrogation, Hassan confessed to shooting the security guard while attempting to gain entry, while Sirajo claimed he tried to stop Maduagwu from falling from the building during the attack. Recovered items include a fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of live ammunition, a locally made pistol, a pump-action gun, two cartridges, four mobile phones belonging to the victims, knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights.
Police said the remaining gang members were intercepted on Wednesday while heading to Maitama for another planned robbery. The suspects have confessed to the crime, and investigations are ongoing.
Maduagwu, fondly known as Sommie, was an anchor and producer with ARISE News. She died during the robbery at her Gishiri residence in Katampe District, contrary to earlier reports that she was shot. Police confirmed she fell from the third floor of her building while trying to escape the attackers.
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