The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 12 members of a notorious armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the brutal killing of ARISE News Anchor, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, fondly known as Sommie, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, during a robbery at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja..
The arrests followed a directive from the Commissioner of Police, FCT, to swiftly apprehend those behind the deadly September 29, 2025 robbery, which occurred around 3:30 a.m.
According to police sources, operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, acting on digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, tracked and apprehended the suspects across multiple locations in the North.
Arrested Suspects
The 12 arrested suspects include:
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)
Musa Umar a.k.a. Small, 31 (Maiduguri LGA, Borno State)
Confessions and Evidence
Four of the suspects — Shamsudeen Hassan, Abubakar Alkamu, Sani Sirajo, and another accomplice — were first arrested after detectives tracked mobile phones stolen from the victims.
During interrogation, Hassan reportedly confessed to shooting security guard Barnabas Danlami while he attempted to stop the gang from entering the compound.
Sirajo claimed he tried to prevent Sommie, from falling three-storeys during the chaos.
The suspects also confessed to stealing and driving away a white Honda CR-V belonging to one of the victims and shared ₦200,000 each from the proceeds of the crime.
Recovered Items
Police recovered the following exhibits from the suspects:
One fabricated AK-47 rifle
Thirty-six rounds of 9mm live ammunition
One locally made pistol
One pump-action shotgun and two live cartridges
Four mobile phones belonging to the victims
Two sharp knives, one cutlass, and nine torchlights used during the operation
Further Arrests and Ongoing Investigation
On October 8 acting on additional intelligence, operatives intercepted Musa Umar (Small), Hassan Isah, and other gang members while en route to another planned robbery in Maitama, Abuja.
All suspects have confessed to their involvement in multiple armed robberies across the FCT. The police say investigations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining fleeing members of the gang.
Authorities have withheld photographs of the suspects pending the arrest of other accomplices.
Recovered exhibits, including a video of an AK-47 rifle recovered near Zuma Rock, have been submitted as evidence.
