10/11/2025
FCT POLICE SMASH GANG BEHIND MURDER OF ARISE NEWS JOURNALIST AND SECURITY GUARD, ARREST 12 SUSPECTS.
The FCT Police Command has successfully arrested twelve (12) notorious armed robbery suspects responsible for the heinous killing of Ms. Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, Esq., an Anchor, Reporter, and Producer with ARISE News, and Mr. Barnabas Danlami, a security guard, during a robbery operation at Unique Apartments, Katampe Extension, Mabushi, Abuja, on 29th September 2025.
Following the tragic incident, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao S. Adewale psc. mnips., established a Special Investigation Team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), DCP Aliyu Abubakar, and assisted by the Commander, Scorpion Squad, ACP Victor Godfrey, with a clear mandate to track down and dismantle the criminal network behind the attack.
Leveraging digital reconstructive intelligence and conducting coordinated operations across the FCT, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States, the team successfully apprehended twelve (12) suspects and recovered the following exhibits:
• One (1) locally fabricated AK-47 rifle
• One (1) locally made pistol
• One (1) pump-action gun
• Thirty-six (36) live ammunition
• Two (2) live cartridges
• Four (4) mobile phones
• Two (2) knives
• One (1) cutlass
• One (1) heavy flashlight
The arrested suspects are:
1. Shamsudeen Hassan ‘m’
2. Hassan Isah ‘m’, 22yrs
3. Abubakar Alkamu (aka Abba) ‘m’, 27yrs
4. Sani Sirajo (aka Dan Borume) ‘m’, 20yrs – gang driver
5. Mashkur Jamilu (aka Abba) ‘m’, 28yrs
6. Suleiman Badamasi (aka Dan Sule) ‘m’, 21yrs – provided vehicles for operations
7. Abdulsalam Saleh (aka Na-Durudu) ‘m’
8. Zaharadeen Muhammad (aka Gwaska) ‘m’, 23yrs
9. Musa Adamu (aka Musa Hassan) ‘m’, 30yrs
10. Sumayya Mohammed (aka Baby) ‘f’, 27yrs
11. Isah Abdulrahman (aka Abbati) ‘m’, 25yrs
12. Musa Umar (aka Small) ‘m’, 31yrs.
All the suspects hail from Kaduna and Katsina States. Preliminary investigations revealed that the gang procured their fi****ms from a yet to be identified supplier in Niger Republic. They have also confessed to participating in other armed robbery operations at Katampe 1, a hotel in Apo, and another in Zuba, all within the FCT.
Further investigations confirmed that the fatal shot which claimed the life of the security guard, Mr. Barnabas Danlami, was fired by one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, extends his heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of the late Ms. Somtochukwu Maduagwu and Mr. Barnabas Danlami. He assures that the Command remains resolute in ensuring justice will prevail and all those responsible for this grievous act are brought to justice.
The CP commended the professionalism and dedication of the operatives involved in the investigation and reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to the safety and security of all residents of the FCT. He also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities through the Command’s emergency lines: 08032003913, 08028940883, or CRU FCT: 08107314192
