FCT Police Arrest 12 Over Killing of Arise News Anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 suspects in connection with the armed robbery that killed Arise News anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu and security guard Barnabas Danlami at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja, in the early hours of September 29. The arrests came after a directive from the FCT Commissioner of Police to identify and apprehend those responsible. The Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey and acting on intelligence from Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, tracked and arrested the suspects across the FCT and neighbouring states. The suspects include Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi, Katsina), Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna), Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. Abba, 27 (Musawa, Katsina), Sani Sirajo a.k.a. Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi, Katsina), Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. Abba, 28 (Igabi, Kaduna), Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi, Katsina), Abdul Salam Saleh a.k.a. Na-Durudu (Katsina, Katsina), Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. Gwaska, 23 (Chikun, Kaduna), Musa Adamu a.k.a. Musa Hassan, 30 (Malumfashi, Katsina), Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. Baby, 27 (Sammaka, Kaduna), Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. Abbati, 25 (Zaria, Kaduna), and Musa Umar a.k.a. Small, 31 (Maiduguri, Borno). Police said four suspects, including Hassan and Alkamu, were traced after using the victims’ stolen phones. During questioning, Hassan allegedly admitted to shooting Danlami when he resisted the gang, while Sirajo reportedly struggled with Maduagwu, trying to prevent her from falling during the attack. Authorities said the gang sold some of the stolen items, with each member receiving N200,000. Recovered items include a fabricated AK-47 rifle, a pump-action gun, a locally made pistol, 36 rounds of 9mm ammunition, two live cartridges, four phones belonging to the victims, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights used in the robbery. On Wednesday, operatives intercepted additional suspects, including Musa Umar and Hassan Isah, allegedly heading for another robbery in Maitama, Abuja. “All suspects have confessed to the crimes. Investigation is ongoing, and further updates will be provided,” the FCT Police said, noting that photos of the suspects are being withheld to avoid compromising efforts to arrest other fleeing accomplices.