Eleven individuals accused of involvement in the killing of an Arise News journalist, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, were on Wednesday, the 21st of January, 2026, brought before a court in the Federal Capital Territory by the Nigeria Police.
The FCT Police Command, in a statement issued the same day, confirmed that the suspects were formally charged and are facing allegations bordering on criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder.
Maduagwu, who worked with Arise News as an anchor, reporter, and producer, lost her life alongside Danlami during a robbery incident at Unique Apartments, Katampe Extension, Mabushi, Abuja, on the 29th of September, 2025.
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Those arraigned are Shamsu Hassan, Sani Sirajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, Suleiman Badamasi, Zaharadeen Mohammed, Musa Umar, popularly known as “Small,” Mashkur Jamil, Suleiman Sani, and Abubakar Usman.
According to the police statement, “The suspects were arraigned on a nine-count charge, including criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder.”
Investigations revealed that the 29-year-old journalist was fatally injured in the early hours of the 29th of September, 2025, after armed assailants invaded the three-storey residential building at about 3:30 a.m., reportedly going from one apartment to another while carting away valuables belonging to residents.