The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 suspects in connection with the killing of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, a staff member of Arise News, and Barnabas Danlami, a security guard.
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In a statement released on Thursday, Arise TV confirmed the arrests, stating that they were carried out by the Scorpion Squad of the FCT Police Command following a coordinated operation. The operation was reportedly guided by intelligence gathered from Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC.
According to reports, the police received information about the incident on September 29, 2025, prompting an intensive investigation. The command employed digital tracking and reconstructive intelligence to trace those involved. The operation first led to the arrest of four suspects, followed by the capture of eight others.
The suspects include Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Hassan Isah (Zaria, Kaduna State), Abubakar Alkamu (Musawa, Katsina State), Sani Sirajo (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Mashkur Jamili (Igabi, Kaduna State), Suleiman Badamasi (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Abdulsalam Saleh (Katsina LGA, Katsina State), Zaharadeen Muhammad (Chikun, Kaduna State), Musa Adamu (Malumfashi, Katsina State), Sumayya Mohammed (Sammaka, Kaduna State), Isah Abdulrahman (Zaria, Kaduna State), and Musa Umar (Maiduguri, Borno State).
During interrogation, one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, reportedly admitted to shooting Barnabas Danlami after the guard tried to prevent the gang from entering the building. Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, confessed that he attempted to stop Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but was unable to due to her weight. Hassan further revealed that he drove the white Honda CR-V belonging to the victim out of the compound after the operation.
The suspects disclosed that they each received N200,000 from the proceeds of the crime. Recovered items from the operation include 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 torchlights used during the attack.
Police sources said the initial arrests were made after tracking stolen mobile phones, which led to the capture of four suspects, including Hassan, Alkamu, and Sirajo. Acting on further intelligence, officers later intercepted the remaining suspects on October 8, 2025, as they prepared for another robbery operation in Maitama, Abuja.
All suspects have reportedly confessed to their roles in the crimes. The police say investigations are ongoing to track down other fleeing members of the gang and ensure justice for the victims.
