HEARTBREAK IN ABUJA: ARISE TV ANCHOR SOMTO MADUAGWU DIES AFTER LEAPING FROM 2ND FLOOR TO ESCAPE ROBBERS

Hospital Allegedly Refuses Treatment Without Police Report • Security Guard Also Killed • Nigerians Demand Justice

Abuja — Nigeria’s media industry was plunged into grief on Monday, September 29, 2025, following the tragic death of Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a rising star at Arise News, whose life was cut short in a horrifying robbery incident at her Katampe residence in Abuja.

Popularly known as Sommie, the 29-year-old journalist reportedly leapt from the second floor of her residence in a desperate attempt to escape armed robbers who stormed her home in the early hours of Monday. She sustained critical injuries from the fall but was rushed to a nearby hospital, where insiders allege she was denied immediate treatment as staff insisted on a police report before administering care. The delay, sources claim, proved fatal.

The same robbery attack also claimed the life of her residence’s security guard, who was gunned down by the assailants.

Maduagwu, who had only just returned from the United Kingdom after celebrating her parents’ 30th wedding anniversary, was widely admired for her intellect, warmth, and professionalism. Arise News, in a tribute, described her as “a cherished colleague whose voice informed, engaged, and connected with millions of Nigerians.”

Her shocking death has reignited public outrage over Nigeria’s broken emergency response system — from hospitals that demand police documentation before saving lives, to the worsening insecurity that leaves citizens unprotected in their own homes.

Civil society organisations, media stakeholders, and human rights advocates are now demanding accountability on two fronts: justice for the perpetrators of the robbery and consequences for the alleged medical negligence that denied her a fighting chance.

Police authorities have confirmed that investigations are underway, but Nigerians continue to ask — how many more lives must be lost before systemic failures are addressed?

As tributes pour in from colleagues, friends, and admirers, Somto Maduagwu’s legacy as a courageous journalist and vibrant young woman will remain etched in the hearts of many, even as her death serves as a painful reminder of a nation still grappling with insecurity and institutional failure.