The police command in Abuja says it has arrested 12 suspected armed robbers linked to the death of ARISE TV journalist Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, during a robbery attack in Abuja.

The spokeswoman, Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

The robbery on September 29  at Unique Apartments, Katampe Extension in Mabushi area of Abuja also led to the murder of Mr Barnabas Danlami, a security guard attached to the estate.

The arrest of the suspects behind the tragic incident followed the deployment of a special investigation team led by Aliyu Abubakar, the deputy commissioner of police, State Criminal Investigation Department.

According to her, leveraging digital reconstructive intelligence and conducting coordinated operations across Abuja, Nasarawa, and Kaduna, the team apprehended 12 suspects and recovered some exhibits.

She said the exhibits recovered were a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, a locally made pistol, one pump-action gun, 36 live ammunition, two live cartridges, four mobile phones, two knives, one cutlass, and a flashlight.

Ms Adeh said all the  suspects were from Kaduna and Katsina States, adding that preliminary investigations had revealed that the gang procured their firearms from a yet to be identified supplier in the Niger Republic.

She said the suspects had also confessed to participating in other armed robbery operations at Katampe 1, a hotel in Apo, and another in Zuba, all within Abuja.

“Further investigations confirmed that the fatal shot, which claimed the life of the security guard, was fired by one of the suspects,” said the police.

(NAN)