Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command have arrested 12 suspected robbers responsible for the robbery that claimed the lives of Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, an Arise TV presenter, and Barnabas Danlami, a security guard at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.
The operation, which occurred in the early hours of September 29, 2025, at about 3:30 a.m. shocked residents of the area and drew widespread public outrage.
According to the EIB Report sighted by our reporter, the arrests followed a directive from the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, mandating an immediate crackdown on the criminal elements responsible for the incident.
Acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, operatives of the elite Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey successfully tracked down and arrested the suspects across different locations in the North.
Police unveils 12 suspected robbers
The suspects were identified as Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu (a.k.a. Abba), Sani Sirajo (a.k.a. Dan Borume), Mashkur Jamilu (a.k.a. Abba), Suleiman Badamasi (a.k.a. Dan-Sule), Abdul Salam Saleh (a.k.a. Na-Durudu), Zaharadeen Muhammad (a.k.a. Gwaska), Musa Adamu (a.k.a. Musa Hassan), Sumayya Mohammed (a.k.a. Baby), Isah Abdulrahman (a.k.a. Abbati), and Musa Umar (a.k.a. Small).
The individuals, aged between 20 and 31 years, hail from various parts of Katsina, Kaduna, and Borno States.
Preliminary findings revealed that four of the suspects; Shamsudeen Hassan, Abubakar Alkamu, Sani Sirajo, and one other were the first to be apprehended through advanced phone-tracking technology after the robbers used mobile phones stolen from the victims.
The tracking and interception service was reportedly executed by EIB STRATOC’s digital intelligence team.
Suspects confess, recount night of horror
During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan confessed to shooting the security guard, Barnabas Danlami, who attempted to resist the gang’s entry into the compound.
Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, claimed he tried to prevent Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the third floor balcony during the attack but was “overwhelmed by her weight.”
Hassan also admitted to driving away the white Honda CR-V belonging to one of the victims after the robbery.
Each of the four initial suspects allegedly received ₦200,000 from the proceeds of the operation.
Recovered exhibits from the suspects include a fabricated AK-47 rifle, thirty-six (36) rounds of 9mm live ammunition, a locally made pistol, a pump-action gun, two (2) live cartridges, four (4) stolen mobile phones, two (2) sharp knives, a cutlass, and nine (9) torchlights used during the robbery.
More arrests made after fresh intelligence
Also, the Scorpion Squad recorded another breakthrough on October 8, 2025, following credible intelligence that some gang members were planning another armed robbery at Maitama in the early hours of Thursday.
Acting swiftly, police operatives intercepted Musa Umar (a.k.a. Small), Hassan Isah, and other accomplices en route to the operation, effectively foiling what could have been another deadly attack.
All arrested suspects have reportedly confessed to their roles in the Gishiri robbery and murder of the Arise News journalist and the apartment security guard.
The police say efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining fleeing suspects linked to the syndicate.
Police commend forensic collaboration, vow justice for victims
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, through ACP Victor Godfrey, commended the seamless collaboration between the Police and forensic experts from EIB STRATOC for their role in decoding the case through digital intelligence and crime reconstruction.
“This is a major breakthrough that demonstrates the impact of technology-driven policing in dismantling organised criminal gangs,” a senior officer familiar with the operation said.
Authorities assured that the arrested suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Meanwhile, pictures of the suspects remain withheld until all fleeing members are captured.
Attached to the EIB report are visuals of the recovered exhibits, including a video showing the retrieval of one of the AK-47 rifles near Zuma Rock.
