FCT Police Arrest Three Over 2024 Murder, Theft After Year-Long Manhunt

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, attached to Mpape Division, have arrested three suspects linked to the murder of Mr. Azubuko Nwakama, a staff member of Liberty Radio, who was attacked and robbed on June 14, 2024, at Panteka Market, Mpape, Abuja.

In a statement by SP Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Command, the arrest followed over a year of painstaking tracking and investigation. Detectives had pursued the case relentlessly since the incident, during which the suspects dispossessed the victim of his mobile phone and other valuables. However, the stolen device remained switched off for months, complicating tracing efforts.

The breakthrough came on August 2, 2025, when the victim’s Redmi 13C phone was switched on and tracked to one Mutari Lawal, 32, from Kano State. He was promptly arrested. During interrogation, Mutari confessed to attacking and stabbing the deceased before fleeing with his accomplices — Dan’Asabe Ibrahim, 22, from Zamfara State, and Danjuma Ibrahim, 18, both of no fixed address in Mpape. He further revealed that he had taken the stolen phone to Kano, kept it switched off for a year, and only powered it on in August 2025 to wipe data, insert his SIM card, and return to Abuja.

Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ajao S. Adewale, psc, mnips, commended the diligence and professionalism of the officers who ensured justice despite the passage of time. He warned criminals to desist or leave the FCT, stressing that “the long arm of the law, which is patient, persistent, and resolute, will definitely catch up with them.”

The Command assured residents that their security remains a top priority and urged them to stay vigilant, reporting suspicious activities via emergency lines: 08032003913, 08028940883.