ROBBERY GANG RESPONSIBLE FOR ARISE NEWS ANCHOR SOMTOCHUKWU’S DEMISE- POLICE
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HOTJIST NEWS
The FCT Police Command has verified the apprehension of 12 alleged armed robbers associated with the incident that resulted in the deaths of Arise News employee Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and a security officer, Barnabas Danlami, at Unique Apartment, Gishiri village, Katampe District, Abuja.
Personnel from the Scorpion Squad, under the leadership of ACP Victor Godfrey, executed the arrests based on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence supplied by Giga Forensics, a division of EIB Stratoc.
The 12 suspects were identified as Shamsudeen Hassan from Malumfashi LGA in Katsina State, Hassan Isah, 22, from Zaria in Kaduna State, Abubakar Alkamu alias Abba, 27, from Musawa LGA in Katsina State, Sani Sirajo alias Dan Borume, 20, from Malumfashi LGA in Katsina State, Mashkur Jamilu alias Abba, 28, from Igabi LGA in Kaduna State, and Suleiman Badamasi alias Dan-Sule, 21, from Malumfashi LGA in Katsina State.
Others are Abdul Salam Saleh, alias Na-durudu, from Katsina LGA in Katsina State; Zaharadeen Muhammad, alias Gwaska, 23, from Chikun LGA in Kaduna State; Musa Adamu, alias Musa Hassan, 30, from Malumfashi LGA in Katsina State; Sumayya Mohammed, alias Baby, 27, from Saminaka LGA in Kaduna State; Isah Abdulrahman, alias Abbati, 25, from Zaria LGA in Kaduna State; and Musa Umar, alias Small, 31, from Maiduguri LGA in Borno State.
Police had disclosed that the robbery occurred on September 29, 2025, at about 3:30 a.m. when the gang invaded the apartment.
During interrogation, one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to shooting the security guard, Barnabas Danlami, when he attempted to stop them from gaining access.
Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, admitted to trying to hold Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but said he was unable to because of her weight.
Hassan additionally admitted that he operated the white Honda CR-V away from the residence subsequent to the incident.
The suspects disclosed that they each received N200,000 from the proceeds of the crime.
The operatives recovered a fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of live ammunition, one pump-action gun, one locally made pistol, two live cartridges, four mobile phones belonging to the victims, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torch lights used in the operation.
Police noted that shortly after the robbery, four of the suspects, including Hassan, Alkamu, and Sirajo, were apprehended through the tracking of stolen phones.
On October 8, 2025, acting on further digital intelligence, the remaining suspects were intercepted while en route to another planned armed robbery operation in Maitama, Abuja.
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