Robbers Got N200,000 Each After Late Arise TV Anchor Robbery—Police

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the robbery/death of Arise News anchor Somtochukwu Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, at Unique Apartments, Gishiri Village, Katampe District, Abuja.

The operation was led by ACP Victor Godfrey of the Scorpion Squad.

Relying on intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, the police tracked down and arrested the 12 suspects across multiple locations.

According to the police, four of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Abubakar Alkamu, a.k.a. Abba, 27 (Musawa LGA, Katsina State); Sani Sirajo a.k.a. Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); and another, were first arrested after the victims’ mobile phones were tracked to them.

During interrogation, Hassan confessed to shooting the security guard, Danlami, when he attempted to prevent them from entering the apartment.

He further confessed that he drove the white Honda CR-V Jeep out of the apartment after the operation. The four suspects admitted that they each received N200,000 from the proceeds of the crime.

Sirajo, on his part, claimed he had tried preventing Ms Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but said he was “overwhelmed by her weight”.

Investigators said the four suspects also confessed to selling some of the stolen property and sharing the proceeds, with each reportedly receiving ₦200,000.

Providing further details, the police identified other suspects as Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna 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); and Musa Umar a.k.a. Small, 31 (Maiduguri LGA, Borno State).

The police further disclosed that Musa Umar (Small) and Hassan Isah were arrested on Wednesday, October 8, while en route to carry out another planned robbery in Maitama, Abuja.

Subsequently, the command announced the confiscation of one fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, one locally made pistol, one pump-action gun, two live cartridges, four mobile phones belonging to the victims, two sharp knives, one cutlass, and nine torchlights used during the operation.

The statement further noted that “all suspects have confessed to the crimes. Investigation is ongoing, and further developments will be communicated.”

The police, however, noted that photos of the arrested suspects have been withheld to avoid jeopardising the manhunt for other fleeing gang members.