By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS have emerged over the death of Arise News anchor and producer, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who was reported to have jumped out of her residence after armed robbers stormed Unique Apartments in Abuja on Monday.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday described her death as “tragic and painful,” vowing that those responsible for the killing would be apprehended.
According to a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike said: “I feel pained that such a wonderful soul could be cut down in its prime. It is sad.”
He confirmed that the FCT Administration is working with the police to ensure a thorough investigation.
“The police will unravel the circumstances surrounding her death and bring those responsible to justice,” Wike stated.
He also offered condolences to Arise News management and family members, noting that the deceased’s passing was “a loss not only to her colleagues but also to the Nigerian media and the entire nation.”
On The Hospital
The Mandate Secretary of Health in the FCTA, Dr Dolapo Fasawe, said Sommie was brought to the Maitama General Hospital dead at about 4.30am on Monday.
She added that a preliminary medical report had been forwarded to the police to aid their investigation.
Fasawe added that the incident occurred when about 15 armed men invaded Unique Apartments, a four-storey, 16-flat compound in Katampe, around 3,00 am on Monday.
Arise TV News Accounts
Witnesses said the robbers overpowered security guards and attempts to reach the police during the attack received no immediate response.
However, subsequent accounts of what happened next have been inconsistent.
During Arise News’ Morning Show on Tuesday, presenter Ojinika Okpe said Maduagwu tried to escape by jumping from her apartment.
“She jumped down from her home when she heard about 15 armed robbers came to her home. She did not die on the spot. She went to the hospital, and she was rejected. Her life could have been saved, but the hospital rejected her,” Okpe told viewers.
Eyewitnesses Accounts
Residents said that Maduagwu and a security guard, identified as Barnabas, were rushed to Maitama District Hospital after sustaining serious injuries.
Family members also alleged that the hospital refused urgent treatment because they could not produce identification documents immediately. Both Maduagwu and the guard later died.
However, a resident of the apartment complex, Sani Yusuf, who identified himself as a neighbour and said he witnessed the incident, disputed claims that the hospital rejected the victims.
Writing on social media platform X, Yusuf stated: “I personally paid for and filled her (Maduagwu) and Barnabas’s forms, and I brought her ID to the hospital.
“The hospital never delayed treating anyone. Yeah, I have my personal gripe with them for how they handled the emergency. But stop spreading information that is not true.”
The varying accounts have placed focus on both the hospital’s emergency response and the wider security situation in the FCT.
Meanwhile, media reports, including an August publication by the http://International Centre for Investigative ReportingInternational Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), have documented recurring violent crimes in Abuja such as armed robbery, kidnappings, cult clashes, and one-chance attacks.
Arise News, in its reaction, described Maduagwu as “a vibrant voice that engaged and connected with our viewers,” noting that her passion and professionalism left a lasting impact on the newsroom.
On Tuesday, the station aired a tribute programme titled Sommie Maduagwu: A Life Cut Short, during which co-anchor Dr Reuben Abati called for a full investigation into both the hospital’s handling of the emergency and the security failures during the robbery.
Maduagwu, a law graduate who switched careers to broadcasting, had been part of Arise News’ presenting and production team before her death.
