Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have announced the arrest of 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the deaths of an ARISE TV staff member, Ms. Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Mr. Barnabas Danlami.
The two victims lost their lives during a robbery incident at the Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja, which occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on September 29, 2025.
Ms. Somtochukwu reportedly died after she “jumped from the balcony of her apartment on the third floor of the building when the robbers invaded the estate.”
Read Also: Beautiful Memories Of ARISE News Anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu [VIDEO]
In a statement on Thursday, the police disclosed that four of the suspects were initially arrested by tracking the stolen phones from the building.
The arrested suspects were identified as:
- Shamsudeen Hassan ‘m’ from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina state
- Hassan Isah ‘m’, 22 years from Zaria, Kaduna State
- Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. abba ‘m’, 27 years from Musawa LGA, Katsina state
- Sani Sirajo a.k.a. dan borume ‘m’ 20 years from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina state
- Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. abba ‘m’ 28 years from Igabi LGA, Kaduna state
- Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. dan-sule ‘m’ 21 years from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina state
- Abdul Salam Saleh a.k.a. na-durudu ‘m’ from Katsina LGA, Katsina State
- Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. gwaska ‘m’ 23 years from Chikun LGA, Kaduna state
- Musa Adamu a.k.a. musa hassan ‘m’ 30 years from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina state
- Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. baby ‘m’ 27 years from Sammaka LGA, Kaduna state
- Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. abbati ‘m’, 25 years from Zaria LGA, Kaduna state
- Musa Umar a.k.a. small ‘m’ 31 years from Maiduguri LGA, Borno state.
The police statement included confessions from the suspects:
- Shamsudeen Hassan, one of the suspects, “confessed to have shot the security guard when he attempted to prevent them from gaining access to the building.”
- Sani Sirajo, another suspect, “reportedly said he held the victim from falling off the storey building but was overwhelmed by her weight.”
“Operatives of the scorpion squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, have successfully arrested twelve (12) of the armed robbers that were involved in that operation.”
“During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan confessed that he shot the security guard when he attempted to prevent them from gaining access to the apartment.
“Sani Sirajo confessed to have tried to hold Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but was overwhelmed by her weight.
“Shamsudeen further confessed that he drove the white Honda CR-V jeep out of the apartment after the operation. The four suspects admitted that they each received ₦200,000 from the proceeds of the crime.
“Recovered exhibits include: one (1) fabricated AK-47 rifle; thirty-six (36) rounds of 9mm live ammunition; one (1) locally made pistol; one (1) pump-action gun; two (2) live cartridges; four (4) mobile phones of the victims; two (2) sharp knives; one (1) cutlass; nine (9) torchlights used during the operation.”
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