“…And she shouted, she screamed! It was her scream that woke most of the neighbors, alerting us to the fact that we were under attack. But no emergency service, no sense of urgency from the policemen who later showed up.” A neighbor tweeted via X (formerly Twitter), @lifegivingsun.
The late 29-year-old Arise TV news anchor, producer, and reporter, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, was not in a rural village cut off from communications. She was not outside the reach of government presence. She was in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Yes, in the city where the country’s most powerful security leaders live and work. Yet even in that space, where safety is constantly pledged, no one came despite her scream which echoed so loudly in the dead of the night. No patrol team. No armed unit, no response. Nigeria has left her alone. And in that void, a young woman, a professional dedicated to truth, accountability, and public service, was brutally taken from us.
She reportedly jumped from a three-story building in Abuja while trying to escape an armed robbery attack on Monday, September 29. LEADERSHIP Sunday tells the story of a life lost, not just to armed criminals, but to the collapse of trust between Nigerian citizens and the very institutions meant to protect them. A story of unanswered calls, failed systems, and silence in the face of screams. It is a story that demands answers and justice.
Born on December 26, 1995, Sommie Maduagwu, as she was affectionately known, studied law in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom before transitioning into journalism. She quickly made a name for herself as a passionate advocate for the girl child and women’s rights, with ambitions of entering politics to further her mission of improving the lives of women across Nigerian society.
In a candid interview with AriseTV, Sommie expressed her deep interest in politics, especially women’s empowerment, and championed the call for increased female representation in the Senate. A former beauty pageant winner, she was widely described as strong-willed, determined, and self-driven. Despite holding dual citizenship and having completed her education in the UK, Sommie deliberately chose to pursue journalism over law, joining ARISE News as a reporter, producer, and anchor.
She was known for her thoughtful interviews and in-depth coverage of legal matters, gender equity, and social justice. One recent focus was on the legislation advocating for permanent Senate seats for women. Tragically, all her dreams were cut short when she was attacked in her home in the Katampe area of Abuja by armed criminals, numbering 15. On September 29, 2025, in a desperate attempt to escape, she reportedly jumped from a three-story building during the assault, an ordeal that ultimately led to her untimely death.
Unmask The Killers Of Our Child – Family
The grief-stricken family of the late Sommie has called on the federal government and security agencies to swiftly identify and prosecute those responsible for her tragic death. Her uncle, Engineer Obi Maduagwu, shared the family’s heartbreak with journalists, describing the shock they felt upon receiving the devastating news. He recounted how the family pieced together the tragic events through calls and photographs sent from the scene and the hospital. Convincing Sommie’s father, who was working offshore at the time, to return home required urgent intervention from his colleagues and superiors at Shell. A helicopter was arranged to bring him back to Port Harcourt on the same day.
Reflecting on Sommie’s character, Engr. Maduagwu described her as independent-minded, fiercely determined, and deeply passionate about her goals. “Sommie told her father she was leaving the UK, where she earned more, because she wanted to work in Nigeria.” He emphasized that Nigeria’s insecurity and the slow response of emergency services had resulted in a devastating loss for the family. “If the police had arrived on time, this tragedy could have been prevented. In the UK, distress calls are answered within minutes,” he said.
Neighbour’s Account
While trying to piece together the events that occurred at Sommie’s residence on the day of her death, a neighbour tweeted via X (formerly Twitter), @lifegivingsun: “We thought our apartment was safe because it is in a very secure area. We thought our doors were strong; they got knocked. We thought we were safe with armed security, but about 15 hoodlums still attacked us, knowing they would get away with it.”
The neighbour added that it was Maduagwu’s scream that alerted other residents to the robbery happening in the building. She blamed the police for failing to arrive at the scene immediately. “About past 3 a.m., I woke up stark naked to about four armed men who broke down my door and rushed in with machetes and guns. They robbed all 18 flats in my building – cash, electronics, two cars (one being a diplomatic car) – killed two people (Sommie and a security guard). Still traumatised, I could hardly speak. She shouted, she screamed! It was her scream that woke most of the neighbours, alerting us to the fact that we were under attack. But no emergency service, no sense of urgency from the policemen who showed up immediately, and the hoodlums ran away! I am livid and deeply heartbroken.”
“The most heartbreaking part was that no one noticed for so long, until I went downstairs to see what on earth just happened to us and found her lying face down. A lack of searching for a car, but the mobile police had no urgency. A neighbour tried his best, gave her CPR, but she was gone.”
In another post, the neighbour explained that the armed robbers split themselves into groups, with four of them invading her own apartment. When asked by an X user whether Maduagwu was murdered or if she had resisted, the neighbour replied: “None of us really knows unless there’s CCTV footage or an autopsy. Everyone is just making assumptions about what might have happened. “Need people to stop spreading this agenda that they were assassins. They robbed a whole 18 apartments in less than 15 minutes. We don’t all have a conclusive reason for how she died because we found her lying flat in her blood, with no pants on.”
She Died From Jumping From The 3rd Floor” – FCT Police Commissioner
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ajao Adewale, confirmed that Sommie jumped from a three-storey building during the robbery at her residence, and that the fall may have caused her death.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show, CP Adewale explained that she leapt in panic after the attackers shot one of the private security guards, sparking chaos in the compound.
According to him:
“Two private security guards were on duty and one of them, who had the courage to challenge them, sustained a gunshot injury.
Under this condition, you know the panic that would have resulted from this kind of environment.
“Sommie actually occupied an apartment on the topmost floor of the building. Out of fear, she jumped down from the third floor.
“A distress call was raised to the control room. Policemen moved to the scene, and all they could see was the unconscious body of Sommie on the floor.”
He added that she was rushed to Maitama General Hospital, where doctors attempted to resuscitate her through CPR but were unsuccessful.
The Commissioner further stressed that the evidence clearly pointed to a case of armed robbery, not a targeted assassination.
“On this particular incident, it is easy and obvious. They came in… Sommie was not the only resident in that apartment. We are talking about 18 flats with 16 fully occupied. Handsets and cash from wallets were picked. The wallets were thrown on the floor.
“It is obvious that it is a clear case of robbery. Sommie was not shot, out of fear and panic, it is normal and reasonable for everyone, she jumped down.
“They took her to Maitama General Hospital, where the doctor on duty tried as much as possible to see whether they can resuscitate her using CPR. It is unfortunate, she did not make it.”
Colleagues React
As reactions continue to pour in across the country over Sommie’s tragic death, her colleagues at Arise News have also spoken out, expressing grief and frustration over the loss of a promising young journalist.
Her senior colleague, Mr. Reuben Abati called on the government to address the persistent issue of hospitals refusing to treat emergency patients due to lack of identification.
“It is the duty of doctors and nurses to stay faithful to the Hippocratic Oath, which is to save lives. I hope the hospital is properly identified, and sanctions, where appropriate, are applied to that particular hospital and officials who were on duty that day. Lives could have been saved if the medical professionals didn’t behave like Donkeys. It’s very painful that no efforts were made because they were looking for identification.”
Ms. Ojy Okpe described the 29-year-old’s death as “entirely preventable,” expressing anger over a loss that should never have happened.
Rufai Oseni said he was “shattered, broken, and devastated” by Sommie’s death. He described her as a selfless woman who wanted little for herself, but everything for others — especially young girls.
“Somebody brought my attention also to a tweet that Sommie had made a couple of months ago that may Nigeria not happen to us. But the sad reality is that Nigeria happened to Sommie, like it happens to all of us, and that’s why we speak against the injustices here today.”
Meanwhile, Sumner Sambo, director of News at Arise News, assured Sommie’s family that the organisation would pursue justice to its fullest extent:
“No stone will be left unturned in unmasking those responsible for this heinous crime.”
Like so many before her, Sommie died expecting help , but none came. Just like Dr. Chinelo, whose final cry for help came in a tweet after she was shot in a train attack that could have been prevented. She believed someone would come. She died waiting. In Nigeria, even your last hope can be betrayed by a system built to look away.
Recall that Dr. Chinelo Megafu, a young Nigerian dentist, was among the victims of the Kaduna-Abuja train attack by terrorists in March 2022. During the attack, she was shot and she tweeted, “I’m in the train. I have been shot. Please pray for me.”
That tweet went viral, but tragically, she died shortly after. In Chinelo’s case, the Nigerian government had prior warnings about security threats on that route but did not act. Emergency medical response to victims was slow or nearly non-existent. In the same vein, many Nigerians, particularly on social media, initially doubted her tweet , showcasing a nation desensitised by repeated tragedies and misinformation.
Why This Resonates:
Chinelo died asking for help, expecting a system, or even fellow citizens to respond with urgency. But what she got instead was disbelief, delay, and ultimately, death.
Today, Sommie’s case has become another symbol of how Nigeria fails its brightest and most promising, not just through neglect, but also through a system that normalises chaos and punishes trust.
This reporter writes that Sommie ‘s death is not just a statistic, not just another name added to the growing list of Nigerian lives cut short by preventable tragedies. It is a damning indictment of a country where systems meant to protect end up abandoning, where cries for help echo into silence, and where hope is repeatedly betrayed.
Her story forces us to confront a painful truth, that in Nigeria, brilliance, compassion, and potential are no shields against the consequences of a failing state. If a young Lawyer, trained to push for equality and justice, could bleed out while the hospital and security and other emergency departments failed in their mandate, then no one is truly safe. Her death must not fade into the noise. It must ignite the urgency to demand better, for those who have died waiting, and for those still daring to hope.
