The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 notorious armed robbers believed to be behind the brutal killing of Arise TV staff, Ms. Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Mr. Barnabas Danlami, during a robbery at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.
The arrest follows directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators. Operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor O. Godfrey, tracked the suspects using actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence, under the supervision of the FCT Commissioner of Police.
The robbery occurred on September 29, 2025, around 3:30 a.m., when the victims were murdered in cold blood.
The arrested suspects include: Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina), Hassan Isah (Zaria, Kaduna), Abubakar Alkamu aka Abba (Musawa LGA, Katsina), Sani Sirajo aka Dan Borume (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina), Mashkur Jamili aka Abba (Igabi LGA, Kaduna), Suleiman Badamasi aka Dan-Sule (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina), Abdulsalam Saleh aka Na-Durudu (Katsina LGA, Katsina), Zaharadeen Muhammad aka Gwaska (Chikun LGA, Kaduna), Musa Adamu aka Musa Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina), Sumayya Mohammed aka Baby (Sammaka LGA, Kaduna), Isah Abdulrahman aka Abbati (Zaria LGA, Kaduna), and Musa Umar aka Small (Maiduguri, Borno).
Police sources revealed that four suspects Shamsudeen, Hassan, Alkamu, and Sirajo were apprehended shortly after the robbery and confessed to their involvement. Shamsudeen admitted shooting the security guard when he tried to stop them, while Sirajo confessed to attempting to hold Maduagwu as she fell from the third floor. Shamsudeen also confessed to driving away the victims’ white Honda CR-V. Each suspect reportedly received ₦200,000 from the crime proceeds.
Recovered items include a fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a locally-made pistol, a pump-action gun, two live cartridges, four mobile phones, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights used during the robbery.
Further arrests were made on October 8, when three suspects, including Musa Umar and Hassan Isah, were intercepted while allegedly planning another armed robbery in Maitama.
All suspects are currently in custody and have confessed to the crimes. The Commissioner of Police commended the Scorpion Squad for their swift action and reassured residents that the command would continue aggressive operations to rid the FCT of violent criminals.
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