The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 12 suspected armed robbers allegedly responsible for the attack that led to the death of Arise News staff member, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, at Unique Apartment, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.

In a statement on Thursday, the Police said operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, carried out the arrests following actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB Stratoc.

The suspects were identified as Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna State); Abubakar Alkamu alias Abba, 27 (Musawa LGA, Katsina State); Sani Sirajo alias Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Mashkur Jamilu alias Abba, 28 (Igabi LGA, Kaduna State); and Suleiman Badamasi alias Dan-Sule, 21 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State).

Others include Abdul Salam Saleh alias Na-durudu (Katsina LGA, Katsina State); Zaharadeen Muhammad alias Gwaska, 23 (Chikun LGA, Kaduna State); Musa Adamu alias Musa Hassan, 30 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Sumayya Mohammed alias Baby, 27 (Saminaka LGA, Kaduna State); Isah Abdulrahman alias Abbati, 25 (Zaria LGA, Kaduna State); and Musa Umar alias Small, 31 (Maiduguri LGA, Borno State).

According to the Police, the armed robbery occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on September 29, 2025, when the gang invaded the apartment. During interrogation, one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to shooting the security guard, Danlami, when he attempted to stop them from entering the premises.

Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, claimed he tried to prevent Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but was unable to do so “because of her weight.” Hassan further admitted to driving away the victims’ white Honda CR-V after the operation.

The suspects reportedly shared ₦200,000 each from the proceeds of the robbery.

Recovered items include a fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of live ammunition, a pump-action gun, a locally made pistol, two live cartridges, four mobile phones belonging to the victims, two knives, a cutlass, and nine torchlights used during the operation.

Police disclosed that four of the suspects — Hassan, Alkamu, Sirajo, and another — were first arrested through the tracking of the stolen phones shortly after the incident. Acting on further digital intelligence, operatives intercepted the remaining suspects on October 8, 2025, while they were allegedly en route to another planned robbery in Maitama, Abuja.

The FCT Police Command said all suspects have confessed to the crime, adding that investigations are ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.