The police on Thursday detailed how suspects linked to the death of the ARISE TV journalist, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, and security guard Barnabas Danlami were nabbed.
ASP Maxwell Eje, who appeared as a prosecution witness in the ongoing proceedings, told the court that the second defendant, Sani Sirajo, led officers to a bush in Dei Dei in Kubwa, Abuja, where he contacted other alleged members of the gang, the fourth defendant, Abubakar Alkamu, and the third defendant, Hassan Isah.
According to him, police officers disguised themselves at night, holding weapons that had been recovered earlier during the investigation to avoid raising suspicion.
“My team members disguised themselves, bearing those two arms that we recovered because it was night,” he said. “We rushed into the vehicle and searched them instantly.”
He added that officers recovered weapons, including a long knife, a dagger and a cutlass, which he said were intended for a robbery that night.
The officer further testified that the suspects then made calls to other members of the group, leading to additional arrests.
He said the eighth defendant, Musa Umar, aka ‘Small’, was subsequently lured to the location and arrested by another officer.
Mr Eje added that a dagger was also recovered from him. He told the court that the same strategy was used to arrest the remaining suspects before they were taken into custody.
According to him, the defendants’ statements were recorded voluntarily under caution at the police station.
Mr Eje said he was directed to record the statements of those who understand English, including the third and seventh defendants, Hassan Isah and Zaharadeen Mohammed, noting that they could not write.
“I asked them if they could call any member of their family or their legal aid. They said I should just record their statement,” he said.
He added that the statements were read back to them multiple times in English and that the suspects confirmed them in the presence of other officers.
The officer also told the court that the process was recorded on video and later transferred to a flash drive. He said the recovered firearms were taken for registration as part of the investigation.
Following the testimony, prosecutor Adamu Musa requested an adjournment to tender the statements and recovered weapons as evidence.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to June 16 and 18 for continuation of the hearing. Ms Maduagwu died on September 29, 2025, during an alleged armed robbery attack at an apartment complex in Katampe, Abuja.
Mr Eje told the court that the attackers broke into the building, shot a security guard on duty and forced their way into several apartments.
