FCT Police arrest 12 suspects over m3rder of Somtochukwu Maduagwu

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 individuals in connection with the armed robbery that claimed the lives of Arise News anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu and security guard Barnabas Danlami at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja

According to a statement on Wednesday, the arrests followed a directive from the FCT commissioner of police to apprehend those responsible.

The operation, led by ACP Victor Godfrey of the Scorpion Squad, relied on intelligence from Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, and resulted in the suspects being apprehended in various locations across the FCT and neighbouring states.

The suspects are Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna State), Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. Abba, 27 (Musawa, Katsina State), Sani Sirajo a.k.a. Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. Abba, 28 (Igabi, Kaduna State), Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Abdul Salam Saleh a.k.a. Na-Durudu (Katsina, Katsina State), Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. Gwaska, 23 (Chikun, Kaduna State), Musa Adamu a.k.a. Musa Hassan, 30 (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. Baby, 27 (Sammaka, Kaduna State), Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. Abbati, 25 (Zaria, Kaduna State), and Musa Umar a.k.a. Small, 31 (Maiduguri, Borno State).

Investigators said four suspects, including Hassan and Abubakar Alkamu, were initially tracked after using the victims’ stolen phones. During questioning, Hassan allegedly admitted to shooting Danlami when he resisted the gang’s entry, while Sirajo reportedly confessed to struggling with Maduagwu, claiming he tried to prevent her from falling off the building.

Police said the gang sold some of the stolen items, with each member reportedly receiving N200,000. 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 phones belonging to the victims, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights used in the operation.

Authorities added that on Wednesday, additional suspects, including Musa Umar and Hassan Isah, were intercepted while allegedly heading for another robbery in Maitama, Abuja.

“All suspects have confessed to the crimes. Investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated,” the FCT Police said, noting that photographs of the suspects are being withheld to protect efforts to capture other fleeing accomplices.

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