Source: Africa Publicity
Police in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory have arrested 12 suspected armed robbers who are allegedly linked to a robbery attack that resulted to the death of Arise TV journalist, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu and a security guard named Barnabas Danlami.
As previously reported, the robbery incident happened around 3:30am on September 29, 2025 at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village within the Katampe District of Abuja.
According to police, the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor O. Godfrey, after being tracked through digital and reconstructive intelligence.
Police identified the suspects as Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna State), Abubakar Alkamu, 27 (Musawa, Katsina State), Sani Sirajo, 20 (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Mashkur Jamili, 28 (Igabi, Kaduna State), Suleiman Badamasi, 21 (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Abdulsalam Saleh (Katsina LGA, Katsina State), Zaharadeen Muhammad, 23 (Chikun, Kaduna State), Musa Adamu, 30 (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Sumayya Mohammed, 27 (Sammaka, Kaduna State), Isah Abdulrahman, 25 (Zaria, Kaduna State), and Musa Umar, 31 (Maiduguri, Borno State).
Police said four of the suspects — Shamsudeen, Hassan, Alkamu, and Sirajo — were first apprehended shortly after the incident and confessed to their roles.
Shamsudeen reportedly admitted to shooting the security guard, while Sirajo claimed he tried to hold Maduagwu as she fell from the third floor.
Shamsudeen also confessed to driving away the victims’ white Honda CR-V after the operation.
The suspects, according to police, confessed to sharing N200,000 each from the proceeds of the robbery.
Police said recovered items from the gang included one fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of live ammunition, one locally-made pistol, one pump-action gun, two cartridges, four mobile phones, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights.
According to police, further arrests were made on October 8, 2025, when operatives intercepted three gang members, including Musa Umar and Hassan Isah, while planning another robbery in Maitama.
Police added that all 12 suspects are in custody and have confessed to the crimes.
