Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 suspects in connection with the armed robbery attack that led to the death of Arise News anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.
The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on September 29.
In a statement on Wednesday, the command said the arrests followed a directive from the FCT commissioner of police to track and apprehend those responsible.
Operatives of the scorpion squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, acting on intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, arrested the suspects in different locations across the FCT and neighbouring states.
The suspects are, 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), Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State), 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 (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).
Investigators said four suspects, including Hassan and Abubakar Alkamu, were first tracked after using the victims’ stolen phones.
During interrogation, Hassan allegedly confessed to shooting Danlami when he resisted the gang’s entry into the building.
Sirajo also reportedly admitted to struggling with Maduagwu during the incident, saying he attempted to stop her from falling off the building.
The police said the gang sold some of the stolen items, with each member receiving N200,000 as their share.
Recovered from the suspects were 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 belonging to the victims, two knives, a cutlass and nine torchlights used in the operation.
The command added that on Wednesday, operatives intercepted more gang members, including Musa Umar and Hassan Isah, while they were allegedly heading for another robbery in Maitama, Abuja.
“All suspects have confessed to the crimes. Investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated,” the statement said.
The police added that photographs of the arrested suspects were being withheld to avoid compromising efforts to arrest other fleeing accomplices.
