The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the killing of an Arise News staff member, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, during a robbery attack in Abuja.
According to a statement released by Arise News on Thursday, the arrests followed an operation by the Scorpion Squad under the FCT Command, based on intelligence provided by a forensic firm, Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, was said to have ordered a manhunt for the assailants following the September 29, 2025, robbery at Unique Apartment in Gishiri Village, Katampe District, which occurred around 3:30 a.m.
Operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, reportedly arrested the suspects through actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics.
The 12 suspects arrested in connection with the attack include Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu (also known as Abba), Sani Sirajo (also known as Dan Borume), Mashkur Jamilu, Suleiman Badamasi (also known as Dan-Sule), Abdul Salam Saleh, Zaharadeen Muhammad, Musa Adamu, Sumayya Mohammed, Isah Abdulrahman, and Musa Umar.
The statement partly read, “It is important to note that shortly after the robbery incident that took place 29/09/2025 at about 0330hrs at Unique Apartment, Katampe District, Mabushi, which tragically led to the deaths of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and Barnabas Danlami, four (4) of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, Alkamu, Sirajo and one other person were apprehended through the tracking of phones stolen from the apartment during the robbery (Tracking and intercept service provided by us).”
During interrogation, Hassan reportedly confessed to shooting the security guard while attempting to gain entry, while Sirajo claimed he tried to prevent Maduagwu from falling off the building during the attack.
Recovered items include a fabricated 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, a cutlass, and nine torchlights.
The police also confirmed that other gang members were intercepted on Wednesday while allegedly heading for another planned robbery in Maitama, Abuja.
The suspects have confessed to the crime, and investigations are ongoing.
Maduagwu, who worked as an anchor and producer with Arise News, died during the robbery at her residence in the Gishiri area of Katampe District, Abuja, in the early hours of September 29, 2025.
Police investigations revealed that she fell from the third floor of her apartment while attempting to escape the assailants, contrary to initial reports suggesting she was shot.
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