Tragedy struck in Abuja on Monday as Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a lawyer and presenter with ARISE News, lost her life during a robbery incident at her residence in the Katampe area of the Federal Capital Territory.
Eyewitnesses said a gang of about 14 armed robbers invaded her apartment building around 3:00 a.m., overpowering security and terrorising residents. In a desperate attempt to escape, Maduagwu reportedly jumped from the balcony of her third-floor apartment. Neighbours claimed the robbers even pleaded with her not to jump, but she fell on the concrete and sustained fatal injuries.
She was rushed to the Maitama District Hospital along with the security guard, who was shot while resisting the attackers. Conflicting reports have since emerged: while colleagues alleged that she was alive but denied immediate treatment due to lack of identification and police clearance, hospital officials maintain that she was already dead when brought in around 4:30 a.m.
The killing has sparked outrage across Nigeria. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady condemned the act as “cruel and unacceptable,” ordering security agencies to launch a manhunt for the perpetrators. The FCT Police Command confirmed the incident and said an investigation has commenced.
Civil society groups, including HURIWA, faulted hospital protocols, while activist Omoyele Sowore accused the police of negligence, alleging that officers failed to respond to distress calls promptly, citing excuses such as lack of fuel.
Colleagues at ARISE News described Maduagwu as a rising star whose death was preventable if Nigeria’s security and emergency systems had functioned effectively.
Born on December 26, 1995, she combined her career as a journalist with her training as a lawyer. Her untimely death has once again raised pressing questions about safety, policing, and emergency healthcare in the nation’s capital.