The trial of eleven defendants accused in the killing of Somtochukwu Maduagwu continued on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with a prosecution witness detailing how police tracked down and arrested the suspects.
Testifying before Justice Mohammed Idris in Jabi, Assistant Superintendent of Police Maxwell Eje said the arrests were initiated following intelligence gathered after the incident at Unique Apartments in Katampe, Abuja.
Eje, a member of the Scorpion Squad of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), FCT Command, told the court that the breakthrough came with the arrest of one of the defendants, Shamsu Hassan, who had reportedly fled to Zaria in Kaduna State after the September 29, 2025 robbery.
According to the witness, Hassan confessed to involvement in the crime and subsequently provided information that led to the arrest of other suspects.
He said Hassan identified Sani Surajo as a member of the group, leading operatives to a hospital in Gosa, along the Abuja airport road, where Surajo was receiving treatment at the time.
“Upon sighting the operatives, he was visibly shocked but later agreed to cooperate and assist with useful information,” Eje told the court.
The case centres on the alleged armed robbery at Unique Apartments, during which Maduagwu, a journalist with Arise News, reportedly died after jumping from a three-storey building while trying to escape the attackers.
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A security guard, Barnabas Danlami, was also killed during the incident.
The defendants are facing charges of conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder instituted by the FCT Police Command.
Proceedings were, however, adjourned after defence counsel, Dennis Abu, requested leave to attend to a medical appointment.
The court fixed April 23 for continuation of the testimony and cross-examination of the third prosecution witness.
Earlier witnesses, including residents of the apartment complex, had testified about the robbery but said they were unable to identify the assailants, who were masked during the attack.
The trial, which began on February 10, 2026, is expected to continue as the prosecution presents further evidence against the accused.