Police say suspects confessed to involvement in Katampe attack that killed Sommie and private guard
Ten days after the tragic death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a news anchor and producer with Arise Television, the Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of 12 suspects connected to the armed robbery that led to her death.
Somtochukwu, widely known as Sommie, was killed in the early hours of September 29, 2025, during a violent invasion of her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja. A private security guard stationed at the property also lost his life during the incident.
Police Confirm Confessions
In a statement released on Thursday, police authorities confirmed that all 12 suspects had confessed to the crime. The police said the arrests were made following coordinated tracking efforts, including the tracing of phones stolen during the attack.
“Four of the suspects were arrested shortly after the robbery through the tracking of the phones stolen from the building,” the statement read.
Details from the Suspects
One of the arrested suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to shooting the security guard, claiming the guard attempted to resist the robbers’ entry into the house.
Another suspect, Sani Sirajo, claimed that he tried to prevent Sommie from falling off the storey building but was allegedly overwhelmed by her weight.
List of Arrested Suspects
- 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)
Ongoing Investigation
The police have assured the public that investigations are ongoing, with the goal of securing convictions and justice for the victims.
