Daniel Otera
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police have arrested twelve men from northern Nigeria in connection to a robbery at Unique Apartments in Gishiri, Abuja, that resulted in the tragic death of 30-year-old Arise TV anchor Somtochukwu Christella Maduagwu and a security guard. The robbery occurred on 29 September 2025, at approximately 3:30 a.m. The suspects, hailing primarily from Katsina and Kaduna states, allegedly broke into the apartment, overpowered the victims, and stole valuables before committing the killings. Police have recovered firearms and several of the stolen goods, including mobile phones, from the suspects.
The FCT Police Command announced the arrests on 9 October 2025. According to their statement, the twelve men had forced their way into the flat, restrained the victims, and made off with various items, including phones and other valuables, before killing Maduagwu and the security guard, whose identity remains undisclosed. Somtochukwu, known affectionately as Sommie by her colleagues, was a prominent Arise News anchor, widely recognized for her work covering current affairs.
The incident is also indicative of broader socio-economic trends in Nigeria, particularly migration from rural northern regions to urban centers like Abuja, driven by high unemployment rates and the search for better opportunities. According to recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), between 2020 and 2023, over 1.2 million Nigerians relocated to urban areas, with nearly 45% of these migrants coming from northern states, including Katsina and Kaduna. This migration is primarily motivated by the region’s soaring unemployment rate, which stood at 33% in 2023, significantly higher than the national average of 20%.
Abuja, with its promise of employment in sectors like construction, trade, and services, has become one of the top destinations for these migrants. According to the 2023 Migration Survey Report by the NBS, over 200,000 new residents move to the capital annually, further straining the city’s housing market and contributing to a rise in informal settlements. Areas like Gishiri have seen a 15% annual increase in slum development. Migrants often find themselves in these underserved neighborhoods, where economic stress exacerbates criminal activities, including robbery. A 2024 study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicated that 60% of urban migrants in Nigeria live in slums, environments notorious for high crime rates. As economic pressures mount, some individuals resort to violent crime as a means of survival.
In Abuja, robbery incidents increased by 22% between 2023 and 2024, according to police statistics. A notable proportion of these crimes are attributed to migrant groups from northern Nigeria, highlighting the challenges posed by urbanization and migration.
The death of Somtochukwu also highlights the increasing risks faced by media workers, especially in the Federal Capital Territory. Between May 2023 and May 2025, there were at least 141 attacks on media personnel across Nigeria, with the FCT, alongside Lagos and Imo State, identified as one of the most hazardous regions for journalists. A report by Media Rights Agenda revealed that the FCT witnessed an 18% increase in media-related incidents in 2024. This trend is often exacerbated during periods of political unrest, particularly around elections. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Nigeria 112th out of 180 countries in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, citing the country’s worsening environment for journalists, especially during protests and elections.
The murder of Somtochukwu underscores not only the dangers posed to media workers but also the vulnerability of urban residents as a whole. With 70% of Nigerians relying on broadcast media for news, as reported by the Reuters Institute, attacks on journalists threaten the free flow of information and pose a serious challenge to press freedom in the country.
What sets this case apart is the police’s use of digital tools to track down the suspects, a technique that has significantly accelerated the investigation process. Police officers tracked the gang’s movements through phone signals and CCTV footage from the scene of the crime, leading to swift raids in Katsina and Kaduna. This method reduced the time from report to arrest to just ten days—far quicker than the usual three months typical of traditional investigative methods, such as relying on witness tips or foot patrols. Digital tracking systems have proven to be transformative for law enforcement in urban areas, particularly in tackling crimes like robbery.
A 2025 study on artificial intelligence (AI) in justice systems highlighted that digital tools, including computerized crime databases, have led to a 40% increase in arrest rates for urban crime investigations. These systems streamline case management, provide quicker access to critical data, and significantly enhance the speed of law enforcement responses.
However, implementing these digital systems remains a costly venture. A 2024 review by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) found that establishing a basic digital tracking system within a police command costs approximately N500 million—substantially higher than the N100 million typically spent on traditional tools such as vehicles and informants. While the initial costs are steep, the long-term benefits of these digital systems are substantial, helping reduce case backlogs, which had reached 65% in 2023 according to police statistics.
Despite the clear advantages of these digital tools, the rollout across the country remains uneven. A 2025 study published on SSRN found that only 20% of police stations in northern Nigeria have access to full digital crime tracking systems. This disparity is largely due to budget constraints in some regions, which hinder the widespread implementation of advanced technology. The Gishiri case highlights how scaling up these digital tools could dramatically improve law enforcement’s efficiency across Nigeria, showcasing the balance between high initial investment and the long-term savings from faster and more effective policing.
The suspects remain in custody at the FCT Police Command, facing charges of armed robbery and murder. Investigations are ongoing, with police promising to bring the case to a close soon. Somtochukwu’s family and Arise TV have called for justice, while the police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed that one AK-47 rifle, two locally made pistols, and several stolen mobile phones had been recovered from the suspects’ hideouts.