12 suspects arrested for murder of Arise TV journaliSa, security guard in Abuja

12 suspects arrested for murder of Arise TV journaliSa, security guard in Abuja

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has apprehended 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the killing of Arise News staff, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, and security guard Barnabas Danlami.

The fatal incident occurred during a robbery at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Abuja, on September 29, 2025.

Olayinka Lere, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister, confirmed that the suspects have confessed to the crime.

Four of the suspects, including Shamsudeen Hassan, Alkamu, Sirajo, and another accomplice, were captured through the tracking of stolen mobile phones from the scene, according to a post on X by Lere.

“During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan confessed that he shot the security guard when he tried to stop them from gaining access to the apartment. Sani Sirajo admitted that he attempted to hold Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building, but was overwhelmed by her weight. Shamsudeen also confessed to driving the white Honda CR-V jeep out of the apartment after the operation,” Lere had written.

He added that the suspects each received ₦200,000 from the proceeds of the robbery.

Lere further disclosed that on October 8, 2025, acting on a tip-off and digital intelligence, police operatives intercepted additional members of the gang, including Musa Umar, also known as Small, and Hassan Isah, while they were en route to another planned armed robbery operation in Maitama.