Twelve suspected armed robbers linked to the gruesome killing of Arise News journalist Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, have been arrested by operatives of the FCT Police Command.
The victims were attacked in the early hours of September 29, 2025, at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, in a robbery that shocked Abuja residents and raised fresh concerns about insecurity in the capital.
In a Police SITREP sighted by ait.live the arrests followed a sustained manhunt ordered by the Commissioner of Police, FCT, and executed by the Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey. Working on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, detectives tracked the suspects using mobile phones stolen from the crime scene.
One of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to shooting the security guard who tried to prevent their entry, while another, Sani Sirajo, admitted attempting to stop Somtochukwu from falling from the building during the chaos.
Recovered exhibits include one AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of live ammunition, a locally made pistol, a pump-action gun, two cartridges, four mobile phones belonging to the victims, knives, and torchlights used in the operation.
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Police say four suspects were initially captured shortly after the robbery, while eight others were arrested on October 8, 2025, as they prepared for another planned attack in Maitama.
The FCT Police Command says all suspects have confessed and remain in custody as investigations continue to apprehend the remaining fleeing members.
(Editor: Ena Agbanoma)
