By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismantled a deadly armed robbery syndicate linked to the gruesome murder of Arise News anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, revealing that the gang sourced its weapons from a supplier in the Niger Republic.
Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh disclosed the breakthrough in a statement released on Friday, confirming the arrest of 12 suspects connected to the September 29, 2025 robbery and murder at Unique Apartments, Katampe Extension, Abuja. The incident claimed the lives of Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami.
Cross-Border Gun Supply Network Uncovered
According to SP Adeh, preliminary investigations showed that the suspects obtained their firearms — including a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, a pump-action gun, and a pistol — from an arms dealer operating across the Nigeria–Niger border.
“All the suspects are from Kaduna and Katsina States and have confessed to obtaining their weapons from a yet-to-be-identified supplier in the Niger Republic,” Adeh stated.
The arrested suspects are: Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah (22), Abubakar Alkamu (27), Sani Sirajo (20), Mashkur Jamilu (28), Suleiman Badamasi (21), Abdulsalam Saleh, Zaharadeen Muhammad (23), Musa Adamu (30), Sumayya Mohammed (27), Isah Abdulrahman (25), and Musa Umar (31).
Suspects Linked to Series of Armed Robberies in Abuja
The police further revealed that the suspects had confessed to carrying out multiple robbery operations across the FCT — including at Katampe 1, a hotel in Apo, and another in Zuba — before the fatal Katampe attack that left the journalist and security guard dead.
Investigations confirmed that Shamsudeen Hassan fired the shot that killed the security guard during the operation.
How the Police Tracked and Arrested the Gang
Following the tragic incident, FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao S. Adewale, ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team, led by DCP Aliyu Abubakar and assisted by ACP Victor Godfrey, to hunt down the killers.
Through a combination of digital intelligence and coordinated operations across Abuja, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States, the team successfully tracked and arrested all 12 suspects.
“Leveraging digital reconstructive intelligence, the team effectively dismantled the criminal network behind the attack,” Adeh said.
Police Urge Vigilance as Arms Influx Persists
The FCT Police Command urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements through emergency hotlines.
Nigeria continues to battle the influx of illicit small arms and light weapons from neighbouring countries such as Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
A 2016 United Nations report estimated that about 350 million of the 500 million illicit weapons in West Africa were concentrated in Nigeria — a situation that continues to fuel violent crime nationwide.