Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested 12 suspected armed robbers over alleged involvement in the incident that led to the death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a news anchor and producer with Arise Television.

The police said the suspects have confessed to the crime.

On September 29, about 15 armed men invaded Unique Apartments, a 16-flat four-storey building in the Katampe area of the city.

The armed robbery incident led to the death of Somtochukwu, popularly known as Sommie, and the security guard of the building.

The suspects were listed as:

1.Shamsudeen Hassan ‘m’ from Malumfashi LGA Katsina state

2.Hassan Isah ‘m’, 22 years from Zaria kaduna State

3.Abubakar Alkamu a.k.a. abba ‘m’, 27 years from Musawa LGA katsina state

4.Sani Sirajo a.k.a. dan borume ‘m’ 20 years from Malumfashi LGA katsina state

5.Mashkur Jamilu a.k.a. abba ‘m’ 28 years from Igabi LGA kaduna state

6.Suleiman Badamasi a.k.a. dan-sule ‘m’ 21 years from Malumfashi LGA katsina state

7.Abdul Salam saleh a.k.a. na-durudu ‘m’ from katsina lga katsina State

8.Zaharadeen Muhammad a.k.a. gwaska ‘m’ 23 years from chikun lga kaduna state

9.Musa adamu a.k.a. musa hassan ‘m’ 30 years from malumfashi lga katsina state

10.Sumayya Mohammed a.k.a. baby ‘m’ 27 years from Sammaka LGA, Kaduna state

11.Isah Abdulrahman a.k.a. abbati ‘m’, 25 years from Zaria LGA, Kaduna state

12.Musa Umar a.k.a. small ‘m’ 31 years from Maiduguri LGA Borno state.

During the incident, the security guard identified as Barnabas Danlami was shot by the armed robbers while Sommie was said to have jumped from the three-storey building.

In its statement on Thursday, police said shortly after the incident, four of the suspects were arrested through the tracking of the phones stolen from the building.

The police said Shamsudeen Hassan, one of the suspects, confessed to have shot the security guard when he attempted to prevent them from gaining access to the building.

Another suspect — Sani Sirajo — said he held Sommie from falling off the storey building but was overwhelmed by her weight.

“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,” the statement reads.

“During interrogation, Shamsudeen Hassan confessed that he shot the security guard when he attempted to prevent them from gaining access to the apartment.

“Sani Sirajo confessed to have tried to hold Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu from falling off the three-storey building but was overwhelmed by her weight.

“Shamsudeen 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 ₦200,000 from the proceeds of the crime.

“Recovered exhibits include: one (1) fabricated AK-47 rifle; thirty-six (36) rounds of 9mm live ammunition; one (1) locally made pistol; one (1) pump-action gun; two (2) live cartridges; four (4) mobile phones of the victims; two (2) sharp knives; one (1) cutlass; nine (9) torchlights used during the operation.”