FCT police have arrested three men accused of killing Liberty Radio staffer Azubuko Nwakama in 2024.
The suspects were tracked after the victim’s stolen phone was powered on over a year later.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested and paraded three men accused of killing Liberty Radio staff member, Azubuko Nwakama, popularly known as “Joel” or “Waksi,” during a violent robbery at Panteka Market, Mpape, Abuja, in June 2024.
In a statement on Sunday, Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, identified the suspects as 32-year-old Mutari Lawal from Kano State, 22-year-old Dan’Asabe Ibrahim from Zamfara State, and 18-year-old Danjuma Ibrahim, who has no fixed address in Mpape. She disclosed that the arrests were the result of over a year of painstaking investigation by operatives attached to the Mpape Division.
Nwakama was reportedly attacked on June 14, 2024, as he left work. The assailants stabbed him and made away with his Redmi 13C mobile phone and other personal belongings. Adeh explained that detectives immediately launched a manhunt after the incident but were unable to make progress in tracing the stolen phone because it was switched off.
“The device remained inactive for more than a year, frustrating tracking efforts,” she said. “However, the investigation team never abandoned the case, monitoring every possible lead and waiting for a digital footprint that could expose the culprits.”
That long-awaited breakthrough came on August 2, 2025, when the stolen phone was finally powered on. Police swiftly tracked the device to Lawal in Kano State, where he was arrested. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime, admitting to attacking Nwakama with the help of his two accomplices, Dan’Asabe and Danjuma.
Lawal also reportedly revealed that he had taken the phone to Kano after the murder and deliberately kept it switched off for a year to avoid detection. He told investigators that he only powered it on to wipe its data, insert his SIM card, and return to Abuja, unaware that police were still monitoring the case.
Following his confession, the other two suspects were apprehended. All three are currently in custody as investigations continue to determine if they are linked to other criminal activities in the FCT or beyond.
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, commended the Mpape Division for its persistence in pursuing the case despite the lengthy delay in tracking the stolen phone. He warned criminal elements operating in the territory to desist, stressing that the Command’s commitment to justice is unwavering.
“This arrest sends a clear message that no matter how long it takes, we will pursue and bring offenders to justice,” Adewale said.
