The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest of 12 suspected armed robbers involved in the death of ARISE News anchor, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu as well as a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.
According to reports, the suspects were arrested following actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence.
Those arrested were Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State), Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna State), Abubakar Alkamu alias Abba, 27 (Musawa LGA, Katsina State), Sani Sirajo alias Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State), Mashkur Jamilu alias Abba, 28 (Igabi LGA, Kaduna State), and Suleiman Badamasi alias Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State).
Others include Abdul Salam Saleh alias Na-durudu (Katsina LGA, Katsina State), Zaharadeen Muhammad alias Gwaska, 23 (Chikun LGA, Kaduna State), Musa Adamu alias Musa Hassan, 30 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State), Sumayya Mohammed alias Baby, 27 (Saminaka LGA, Kaduna State), Isah Abdulrahman alias Abbati, 25 (Zaria LGA, Kaduna State), and Musa Umar alias Small, 31 (Maiduguri LGA, Borno State).
One of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to shooting the security guard, Barnabas Danlami, for attempting to stop them from gaining entry into the compound.
Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, claimed he attempted to hold Somtochukwu from falling off the 3-story building, saying, “I tried to stop her from jumping, but I couldn’t because she was too heavy.”
Hassan said he drove away in the victim’s white Honda CR-V after the robbery, and they shared N200,000 each from the robbery proceeds.
Items recovered included 1 fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of live ammunition, 1 pump-action gun, 1 locally made pistol, 2 live cartridges, 4 mobile phones belonging to the victims, 2 knives, a cutlass, and 9 torchlights used during the operation.
According to reports, more digital intelligence led to the arrest of other gang members on October 8, 2025, while reportedly on their way to another armed robbery operation in Maitama, Abuja.