The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested 12 suspected armed robbers in connection with the killing of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a news anchor and producer with Arise Television, the police confirmed on Thursday.

The suspects have reportedly confessed to their involvement in the crime.

The incident occurred on September 29 when around 15 armed men invaded Unique Apartments, a 16-flat, four-storey building in the Katampe area of Abuja.

The attack led to the death of Somtochukwu, popularly known as Sommie, and the building’s security guard, Barnabas Danlami. Sommie reportedly jumped from the three-storey building during the raid.

According to the police, the arrests were made following digital tracking of phones stolen from the building. Shamsudeen Hassan, one of the suspects, confessed to shooting the security guard when he tried to prevent the robbers from entering the building, while Sani Sirajo admitted attempting to hold Sommie from falling but was overwhelmed by her weight. Shamsudeen also confessed to driving the white Honda CR-V used in the operation, and four suspects admitted to receiving ₦200,000 each from the proceeds of the robbery.

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The police statement added: “Operatives of the Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey, acting on actionable digital and reconstructive intelligence provided by Giga Forensics, a subsidiary of EIB STRATOC, have successfully arrested twelve (12) of the armed robbers that were involved in that operation.”

Recovered items from the suspects include one fabricated AK-47 rifle, 36 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, one locally made pistol, one pump-action gun, two live cartridges, four stolen mobile phones, two sharp knives, one cutlass, and nine torchlights used during the robbery.

The suspects were identified as: Shamsudeen Hassan (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina State); Hassan Isah, 22 (Zaria, Kaduna State); Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. Abba, 27 (Musawa LGA, Katsina State); Sani Sirajo a.k.a. Dan Borume, 20 (Malumfashi LGA, Katsina 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); Musa Umar a.k.a. Small, 31 (Maiduguri LGA, Borno State).

The police have confirmed that investigation is ongoing and efforts are being made to apprehend any remaining suspects.