Somtochukwu Maduagwu murder suspects sourced guns from Niger Republic, FCT police say. Twelve arrested in major breakthrough.
Somtochukwu Maduagwu murder suspects sourced their deadly weapons from a supplier in the Niger Republic, according to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
Also read: Bola Tinubu Condemns Somtochukwu Maduagwu’s Tragic Death
The late ARISE News anchor and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, were killed during a violent robbery at Unique Apartments in Katampe Extension, Abuja, on 29 September 2025.
In a breakthrough announced on Friday, police confirmed the arrest of 12 suspects in connection with the attack.
Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh revealed that the arrested gang, all hailing from Kaduna and Katsina States, confessed to purchasing firearms from a cross-border arms dealer.
Among the seized weapons were a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, a pump-action shotgun, and a pistol.
“This criminal network obtained its arms from a yet-to-be-identified supplier operating across the Nigeria–Niger border,” said Adeh.
Those arrested include Shamsudeen Hassan, who police say fired the fatal shot that killed the security guard during the assault.
Other suspects include Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Sani Sirajo, Mashkur Jamilu, Suleiman Badamasi, Abdulsalam Saleh, Zaharadeen Muhammad, Musa Adamu, Sumayya Mohammed, Isah Abdulrahman, and Musa Umar.
The gang is also believed to be behind armed robberies at Katampe 1, a hotel in Apo, and another operation in Zuba, all within the Federal Capital Territory.
Somtochukwu Maduagwu murder triggered outrage and calls for justice. Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Sani Adewale, swiftly deployed a special investigation team led by DCP Aliyu Abubakar and ACP Victor Godfrey.
The team, using what the police described as “digital reconstructive intelligence,” tracked the suspects across FCT, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States.
Adeh praised the operation, saying it dismantled a well-coordinated syndicate responsible for terrorising parts of Abuja.
She urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity through emergency lines.
The case has reignited concerns over the influx of illegal arms through Nigeria’s porous borders. A 2016 UN report estimated that out of 500 million small arms in West Africa, roughly 350 million were circulating in Nigeria alone.
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As investigations continue, the police say they are working to identify and apprehend the cross-border supplier who fuelled the gang’s arsenal
