Earlier accounts had suggested that Maduagwu died due to alleged medical negligence at Maitama General Hospital, sparking nationwide outrage across the media and civil society.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed that Arise News correspondent, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, popularly known as Sommie, died after jumping from the third floor of her Katampe apartment in Abuja while attempting to escape from.armed robbers on Monday night.
The Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, disclosed this in an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, amid conflicting reports about the true cause of her death.
Earlier accounts had suggested that Maduagwu died due to alleged medical negligence at Maitama General Hospital, sparking nationwide outrage across the media and civil society.
According to Adewale, heavily armed men stormed Unique Apartment, a three-storey twin block with 18 flats located around the Gishiri axis of Katampe, late on Monday. Two private security guards were on duty. One of them, who attempted to resist the robbers, was shot.
“In the panic that followed, Sommie, who lived on the topmost floor of the building, jumped down from the third storey. Policemen moved to the scene and found her lying unconscious. She was immediately rushed to Maitama General Hospital, where doctors tried to resuscitate her using CPR, but sadly, she did not survive,” Adewale said.
The Commissioner added that a special investigation team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation) has been set up to hunt down the assailants, insisting that “no stone will be left unturned.”
“The FCT Command once again commiserates with the family of Sommie, the Arise News family, and Nigerians deeply touched by this ugly and disturbing incident,” he added.
However, multiple eyewitnesses and family associates have faulted the police account, insisting that Maduagwu’s death was avoidable.
The media earlier reported that officers of the Nigeria Police Force delayed in responding to distress calls, giving the robbers enough time to terrorise residents.
Family friend Kaanayo Nwachukwu, who knew Maduagwu’s mother, confirmed that the robbers moved from one apartment to another, dispossessing occupants of valuables. He said although the police were alerted early, they failed to arrive on time.
Terrified by the commotion, Maduagwu attempted to escape before the robbers reached her flat. She jumped out of her window, sustaining critical injuries.
“When the police eventually arrived minutes later, she was still alive,” Nwachukwu revealed, describing the tragedy as a “failure of the Nigerian system.”
The situation was further compounded when she was taken to Maitama District Hospital, where medical personnel allegedly demanded identification before treatment, despite her critical condition. Witnesses insist that this delay contributed directly to her death.
The International Press Centre (IPC) has joined in condemning the incident, demanding an immediate and independent investigation into both the robbery and the alleged negligence.
In a statement signed by Communications Officer Olutoyin Ayoade, IPC urged authorities to act swiftly. Its Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, described the death as devastating.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of journalist Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, and we demand a thorough, independent investigation, as well as the prompt prosecution of the perpetrators,” Arogundade said.
He further warned of the implications of government inaction:
“Failure to conclude the investigation and bring those responsible to justice creates a dangerous environment for citizens and media professionals alike, while fostering a culture of impunity that threatens press freedom and democratic accountability.”
Maduagwu’s death comes barely a month after IPC condemned the killing of Peter Ojo, an Ibadan-based journalist murdered in August 2025.
Leave a Reply