Police nab 12 Suspects in the Murder of Arise TV’s Somtochukwu Maduagwu

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested 12 suspects linked to the robbery and killing of Somtochukwu “Sommie” Maduagwu, a news anchor and producer with Arise Television, and security guard Barnabas Danlami. The attack happened on September 29 at Unique Apartments, a 16-flat building in Katampe, Abuja.

In a statement on Wednesday, the FCT Command said the arrests were carried out by the Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey. Investigators relied on “actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence” provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, to track the gang across multiple locations.

Police said four suspects, identified as Shamsudeen Hassan, Abubakar Alkamu, Sani Sirajo and one other, were first picked up after the victims’ mobile phones were traced to them. 

During interrogation, Hassan allegedly confessed to shooting the security guard when he tried to stop the robbers from entering the compound. Sirajo reportedly told detectives he tried to stop Ms Maduagwu from falling from the third floor but “was overwhelmed by her weight.”

According to the command, members of the gang admitted selling some of the stolen items and sharing the proceeds, with each person said to have received ₦200,000. 

Exhibits recovered include a fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, a locally made pistol, a pump-action gun, two live cartridges, four mobile phones belonging to the victims, two knives, a cutlass and nine torchlights believed to have been used during the operation.

Police added that on October 8, acting on a fresh round of digital intelligence, operatives intercepted additional members of the group, including Musa Umar (also known as “Small”) and Hassan Isah, while they were allegedly heading to Maitama for another planned robbery.

Those arrested so far include

Shamsudeen Hassan —  Katsina State

Hassan Isah — 22, Kaduna State

Abubakar Alkamu (Abba) — 27, Katsina State

Sani Sirajo (Dan Borume) — 20, Katsina State

Mashkur Jamilu (Abba) — 28, Kaduna State

Suleiman Badamasi (Dan-Sule) — 21, Katsina State

Abdul-Salam Saleh (Na-Durudu) — Katsina State

Zaharadeen Muhammad (Gwaska) — 23, Kaduna State

Musa Adamu (Musa Hassan) — 30, Katsina State

Sumayya Mohammed (Baby) — 27, Kaduna State

Isah Abdulrahman (Abbati) — 25, Kaduna State

Musa Umar (Small) — 31, Borno State

The command said all arrested suspects have made confessional statements and that the investigation is ongoing. Photographs of the suspects have been withheld to avoid jeopardising efforts to track fleeing members of the gang. Further updates are expected as the probe continues.