The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested the suspects responsible for the killing of Arise News Television journalist, Ms. Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, in Abuja. The breakthrough came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu to security agencies to ensure the perpetrators were brought to justice.
According to a statement from the command, operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor O. Godfrey, tracked down the suspects using digital and reconstructive intelligence.
The police disclosed that the robbery incident occurred on September 29, 2025, at about 3:30 a.m. During the operation, both Ms. Maduagwu and the security guard, identified as Barnabas Danlami, were murdered.
The arrested suspects 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 Jamili, a.k.a. Abba, 28 (Igabi LGA, Kaduna State),
- Suleiman Badamasi, a.k.a. Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State),
- Abdulsalam 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 (Sammaka 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).
Police sources confirmed that four of the suspects—Shamsudeen Hassan, Abubakar Alkamu, Sani Sirajo, and another, were the first to be arrested and confessed their roles in the crime. Shamsudeen admitted to shooting the security guard when he tried to resist them, while Sirajo said he attempted to hold Maduagwu as she fell from the third floor during the attack. Shamsudeen also confessed that he drove off with the victims’ white Honda CR-V after the operation. Each suspect reportedly received ₦200,000 as their share from the robbery proceeds.
Recovered items from the suspects include one fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, a locally-made pistol, a pump-action gun, two live cartridges, four mobile phones, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights used in the operation.
The police added that on October 8, following another round of digital intelligence gathering, operatives apprehended the remaining gang members — including Musa Umar (a.k.a. Small) and Hassan Isah as they were reportedly heading to execute a fresh robbery operation in Maitama, Abuja.
The FCT Commissioner of Police praised the Scorpion Squad for their swift action. He also assured residents that the command will continue to intensify security operations across Abuja to eliminate violent criminal networks in the FCT.
