Police Arrest 12 Suspects Linked to Death of Arise TV Anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu

Authorities in Abuja have apprehended twelve suspects believed to be behind the tragic death of Arise TV journalist, Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu, who was killed during a robbery attack at her residence last month.

The development was made public by fellow journalist, Rufai Oseni, who shared updates from the ongoing police investigation on Thursday. According to him, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police had ordered a comprehensive manhunt to track down the gang responsible for the deadly operation that occurred on September 29, 2025, at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.

Following the directive, operatives of the Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, in collaboration with Giga Forensics, launched an intelligence-driven operation that led to the arrest of twelve suspects. Among them were individuals identified as Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, and several others from Katsina, Kaduna, and Borno States.

Investigations revealed that some of the suspects were traced using mobile phones stolen from the apartment. During interrogation, one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to shooting the apartment’s security guard, Mr. Barnabas Danlami, while another suspect admitted to attempting—but failing—to prevent Ms. Maduagwu from falling off the building during the struggle.

Recovered items from the suspects included a fabricated AK-47 rifle, live ammunition, a pump-action gun, mobile phones belonging to the victims, knives, and other weapons used during the attack. The suspects also confessed to receiving ₦200,000 each from the proceeds of the robbery.

Further arrests were made on October 8 when police intercepted the remaining gang members while they were reportedly on their way to carry out another robbery in Maitama, Abuja. Authorities confirmed that all suspects are in custody and ongoing investigations will continue to track down other accomplices still at large.