Police Arrest Robbers Involved in Arise News Somtochuckwu Demise
Following the public outcry over the demise of Ms. Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, an Arise TV staff member, news anchor, reporter, and producer, who fell from her apartment while trying to escape an armed robbery attack at her residence, and the death of Mr. Barnabas Danlami – a security guard at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT, directed officers to track the criminal elements responsible for the robbery incident that led to the deaths of Mr. Barnabas Danlami, a security guard, and Ms. Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, an Arise TV staff member (anchor, reporter, and producer). The incident occurred at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, on September 29th, 2025, at about 0330 hrs.
The operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey and acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, have successfully arrested twelve (12) of the armed robbers involved in the operation.
The suspects are:
1. Shamsudeen Hassan ‘m’ from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State
2. Hassan Isah ‘m’, 22 years, from Zaria, Kaduna State
3. Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. Abba ‘m’, 27 years, from Musawa LGA, Katsina State
4. Sani Sirajo a.k.a. Dan Borume ‘m’, 20 years, from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State
5. Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. Abba ‘m’, 28 years, from Igabi LGA, Kaduna State
6. Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. Dan-Sule ‘m’, 21 years, from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State
7. Abdul Salam Saleh a.k.a. Na-Durudu ‘m’ from Katsina LGA, Katsina State
8. Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. Gwaska ‘m’, 23 years, from Chikun LGA, Kaduna State
9. Musa Adamu a.k.a. Musa Hassan ‘m’, 30 years, from Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State
10. Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. Baby ‘m’, 27 years, from Sammaka LGA, Kaduna State
11. Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. Abbati ‘m’, 25 years, from Zaria LGA, Kaduna State
12. Musa Umar a.k.a. Small ‘m’, 31 years, from Maiduguri LGA, Borno State.
The investigation yielded results as four (4) of the suspects—Shamsudeen Hassan, Alkamu, Sirajo, and one other person—were apprehended through tracking phones stolen from the apartment during the robbery. (Tracking and intercept service was provided by the operatives.)
It is important to note that shortly after the robbery incident, which took place on 29/09/2025 at about 0330 hrs at Unique Apartment, Katampe District, Mabushi—which tragically led to the deaths of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and Barnabas Danlami—Shamsudeen Hassan confessed during interrogation that he shot the security guard when he attempted to prevent them from gaining access to the apartment.
Sani Sirajo confessed to trying to hold Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but was overwhelmed by her weight. Shamsudeen further confessed that he drove the white Honda CR-V jeep out of the apartment after the operation.
The four suspects admitted that they each received ₦200,000 from the proceeds of the crime.
The recovered exhibits include one (1) fabricated AK-47 rifle, thirty-six (36) rounds of 9mm live ammunition, one (1) locally made pistol, one (1) pump-action gun, two (2) live cartridges, four (4) mobile phones belonging to the victims, two (2) sharp knives, one (1) cutlass, and nine (9) torchlights used during the operation.
Continuing investigations, yesterday, Wednesday, 8th October 2025, acting on a tip-off and actionable digital intelligence also provided by the operatives of the Scorpion Squad, the remaining members of the gang—Musa Umar a.k.a. Small, Hassan Isah, and other accomplices involved in the Gishiri robbery—were intercepted while en route to an already planned armed robbery operation scheduled to take place in Maitama in the early hours of this morning.
All suspects have confessed to the crimes. Investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated.
The remaining suspects’ pictures will be available upon arrest.