“I Tried to Hold Her,” Suspect Reveals in Robbery That Claimed Life of Arise News Staff
In a major breakthrough, the Nigeria Police Force has apprehended twelve suspects linked to the violent armed robbery that led to the tragic death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, an employee of Arise News, in Abuja.
The robbery, which shook the Gishiri community and indeed the entire country, turned fatal when Maduagwu fell from a three-storey building in a desperate attempt to flee from the assailants.
Suspects Identified
Police authorities have released the identities of the arrested suspects, who are mostly from Katsina and Kaduna States. They include:
Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu (aka Abba), Sani Sirajo (aka Dan Borume), Mashkur Jamilu (aka Abba), Suleiman Badamasi (aka Dan-Sule), Abdul Salam Saleh (aka Na-Durudu), Zaharadeen Muhammad (aka Gwaska), Musa Adamu (aka Musa Hassan), Sumayya Mohammed (aka Baby), Isah Abdulrahman (aka Abbati), and Musa Umar (aka Small), who hails from Borno State.
Confessions and Disturbing Revelations
Following their arrest, several suspects reportedly confessed to the crime.
During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan admitted to shooting the estate’s security guard who tried to resist their entry into the compound.
Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, gave a chilling account of the victim’s final moments, saying he “tried to hold her” as Maduagwu fell but was “overpowered by her weight.”
Hassan also confessed to fleeing the scene in the victims’ white Honda CR-V jeep. Police revealed that each of the first four arrested suspects received ₦200,000 as their share of the robbery proceeds.
Swift Investigation and Arrest
The investigation, described by authorities as “swift and intelligence-driven,” began immediately after the incident.
Police traced stolen mobile phones from the apartment to track down the first set of suspects — Shamsudeen Hassan, Abubakar Alkamu, and Sani Sirajo among them. Their confessions provided crucial leads that led to the arrest of the remaining gang members.
The police recovered a cache of weapons and items used during the operation, including:
One fabricated AK-47 rifle
One pump-action gun
One locally made pistol
36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition
Two cartridges
Two knives and a cutlass
Nine torchlights
Four stolen mobile phones
Final Arrest and Ongoing Investigation
The remaining suspects were captured on October 8, 2025, after police received credible intelligence about a planned armed robbery in Maitama, Abuja.
Officers intercepted the group—led by Musa Umar and Hassan Isah—while they were allegedly en route to execute the operation in the early hours of the morning.
A senior police source confirmed that all twelve suspects have confessed to participating in the Gishiri robbery. Investigations are continuing to determine whether the gang has connections to other violent crimes within the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring states.
Community Reaction
The arrests have brought a measure of relief to the shaken Gishiri community and to colleagues of the late Maduagwu at Arise News, who continue to mourn her loss.
Authorities have vowed to ensure that justice is served swiftly and to maintain pressure on criminal networks operating within Abuja and beyond.
