Police in Abuja have arrested 12 suspects connected to the killing of Arise TV producer Somtochukwu Maduagwu and a security guard during a violent robbery in Katampe District.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 suspected armed robbers allegedly involved in the killing of Arise News producer, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, during a violent robbery attack in Abuja.
The suspects were apprehended following a special operation led by the Scorpion Squad, under the FCT Command, with crucial intelligence support from Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC.
According to a report by Arise News on Thursday, the arrests were made on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, who launched a manhunt shortly after the September 29, 2025 incident at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, around 3:30 a.m.
“It is important to note that shortly after the robbery incident… which tragically led to the deaths of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and Barnabas Danlami, four of the suspects—Shamsudeen Hassan, Abubakar Alkamu (also known as Abba), Sani Sirajo (also known as Dan Borume), and one other—were apprehended through the tracking of phones stolen from the apartment,” the statement said.
The operation, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, resulted in the recovery of multiple weapons and stolen items, including 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, as well as knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights.
During interrogation, Hassan confessed to shooting the security guard while attempting to gain entry, while Sirajo claimed he tried to prevent Maduagwu from falling from the building during the attack.
Police reports indicated that the remaining gang members were arrested on Wednesday while allegedly heading to another planned robbery in Maitama, Abuja. The suspects have reportedly confessed to the crime, and investigations are ongoing.
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Maduagwu, who worked as an anchor and producer with Arise News, tragically lost her life while trying to escape the armed intruders. Initial reports claimed she was shot, but the police later clarified that she fell from the third floor of her building in an attempt to flee the attackers.
The incident, which also claimed the life of the estate’s guard, has drawn widespread public outrage and renewed calls for tighter security and faster justice for victims of violent crimes in the capital.
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