…“I tried to hold Somtochukwu from jumping, but she was too heavy,” says suspect
…“We shared ₦200,000 each after the attack”
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 members of an armed robbery gang linked to the gruesome killing ofArise Newsjournalist, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu , and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami , at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.
The suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Scorpion Squad , led by ACP Victor Godfrey , following actionable digital and forensic intelligence provided by Giga Forensics , a subsidiary of EIB Stratoc .
Those arrested include: Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Hassan Isah , 22 (Zaria, Kaduna State); Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a.Abba, 27 (Musawa LGA, Katsina State); Sani Sirajo a.k.a.Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a.Abba, 28 (Igabi LGA, Kaduna State); and Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a.Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State).
Others are Abdul Salam Saleh a.k.a.Na-durudu(Katsina LGA, Katsina State); Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a.Gwaska, 23 (Chikun LGA, Kaduna State); Musa Adamu a.k.a.Musa Hassan, 30 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a.Baby, 27 (Saminaka LGA, Kaduna State); Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a.Abbati, 25 (Zaria LGA, Kaduna State); and Musa Umar a.k.a.Small, 31 (Maiduguri LGA, Borno State).
According to the police, the robbery occurred around 3:30 a.m. on September 29, 2025 , when the gang stormed the apartment.
During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan confessed to shooting the security guard, Barnabas Danlami , after he attempted to resist their entry. Another suspect, Sani Sirajo , admitted trying to stop Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but said, “she was too heavy for me to hold.”
Hassan also confessed to driving away the victims’ white Honda CR-V after the attack. The suspects further disclosed that they each received ₦200,000 as their share of the loot.
Items recovered from the gang include a fabricated AK-47 rifle , 36 rounds of live ammunition , a pump-action gun , a locally made pistol , two cartridges , four mobile phones belonging to the victims, two knives , a cutlass , and nine torchlights used during the operation.
The police explained that four suspects, including Hassan , Alkamu , and Sirajo , were initially traced and arrested through the tracking of stolen phones. Acting on additional digital intelligence, operatives later intercepted the remaining suspects on October 8, 2025 , while they were on their way to execute another planned robbery in Maitama, Abuja .
All 12 suspects have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the crime, while investigations continue to track other fleeing members of the gang.
