ABUJA, Oct. 9, 2025 — The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command says it has arrested 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the September 29 attack at Unique Apartment in Gishiri, Katampe, where ARISE News journalist Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, lost their lives.
The arrests followed a directive from the FCT Commissioner of Police to “fish out” those behind the crime, police officials said on Wednesday at dawn.
“Acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence, our Scorpion Squad has taken 12 suspects into custody in connection with the Gishiri attack,” a senior officer involved in the operation said, asking not to be named because investigations are ongoing. “This is a significant breakthrough, but our work continues.”
Police said the operation was led by ACP Victor Godfrey, with investigative support from private digital forensics shared with the Command. Four members of the gang were first picked up shortly after the 3:30 a.m. incident through tracking of mobile phones stolen from the apartment complex. The remaining suspects were intercepted on October 8 while allegedly en route to a planned robbery in Maitama.
According to investigators, preliminary interviews suggest one suspect admitted shooting the security guard when he tried to block entry, while another claimed he attempted to prevent Ms. Maduagwu from falling from a third-floor height. Officers also said a white Honda CR-V was driven from the scene after the raid, and that four early arrestees told detectives they each received ₦200,000 from the proceeds.
“Some of the suspects have provided useful statements and we have recovered multiple firearms and exhibits,” a police source added. “However, we are still pursuing other members of the syndicate. Images of those arrested are being withheld to avoid compromising ongoing arrests.”
Suspects in custody
Police released the following names and aliases of those arrested, with ages and origins as provided by investigators:
Shamsudeen Hassan; Hassan Isah (22); Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. Abba (27); Sani Sirajo a.k.a. Dan Borume (20); Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. Abba (28); Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. Dan-Sule (21); Abdul-Salam Saleh a.k.a. Na-Durudu; Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. Gwaska (23); Musa Adamu a.k.a. Musa Hassan (30); Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. Baby (27); Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. Abbati (25); and Musa Umar a.k.a. Small (31).
Items recovered
Officers said the following exhibits were seized during the operation:
- One fabricated AK-47 rifle
- One locally made pistol
- One pump-action gun and two live cartridges
- 36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition
- Four mobile phones belonging to victims
- Two knives, one cutlass and nine torchlights allegedly used during the raid
Police said part of the cache, including one AK-47, was recovered in the Zuma Rock area.
The Command stressed that investigation is ongoing and that some suspects remain at large. “We are tightening the net,” a police official said. “Further updates will be provided as soon as operational security allows.”
Sommie Maduagwu’s Unfortunate Demise
Ms. Maduagwu, who went by the sobriquet Sommie Maduagwu, an anchor, reporter and producer with ARISE News, and Mr. Danlami, the estate’s security guard, were confirmed dead after the attack on September 29. The FCT Police urged residents to share credible information to aid remaining arrests and advised the public to be wary of circulating unverified images or details that could jeopardize the case.
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