The trial of 11 suspects accused of involvement in the death of Arise News anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, was on Monday stalled after the defendants failed to appear before the High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja.
The case, which was slated for hearing, could not proceed because officials of the correctional facility did not produce the accused persons in court. As a result, the court adjourned the matter to February 10.
The defendants—Shamsu Hassan, Sani Surajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, Suleiman Badamosi, Zaradeen Mohammed, Musa Umar, Mashikur Jamil, Suleiman Sani, and Abubakar Usman—are facing multiple charges bordering on armed robbery and culpable homicide punishable by death.
Addressing the court, prosecuting counsel Adama Musa explained that the defendants’ absence was due to claims by correctional officials that they were unaware of the hearing date.
“On the part of the prosecution, we came to court fully prepared with four witnesses who abandoned their offices to be here today,” Musa told the court.
After hearing the explanation, the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, adjourned the trial to February 10 and directed that the witnesses return on the next hearing date.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the prosecution alleged that the defendants, armed with firearms, machetes, knives, and charms, invaded Unique Apartment in Katampe, Abuja, on September 29, 2025.
The suspects were accused of forcing Maduagwu to jump from a three-storey building during the attack, an act that allegedly led to fatal injuries and her eventual death. The prosecution also alleged that Barnabas Danlami was shot during the incident and later died from his injuries.
Further allegations revealed that the suspects robbed several residents of the apartment complex, including Ms. Fatou Toborteh, who reportedly lost a Lenovo laptop, ₦80,000 in cash, an iPhone, a Samsung phone, and a white Honda CRV after being threatened with death alongside her family.
Other victims were identified as Sani Yusuf, who allegedly lost a Samsung S25 phone and a MacBook Air valued at ₦5.2 million; David Osas, who was reportedly dispossessed of three mobile phones and a laptop; and Onah George, who allegedly lost an iPhone 14, an iPad, and an Amazon Kardon speaker.
The prosecution further stated that the defendants were arrested between September 29 and October 20, 2025, and were found in possession of a pump-action gun and a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle without valid licences.
The alleged offences were said to contravene provisions of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 1997, and Section 221 of the Penal Code. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges during their arraignment.
Maduagwu’s death had earlier sparked widespread outrage across the country, reigniting concerns over the deteriorating security situation in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
