Colleague: Arise TV anchor jumped from storey building during robbery

Fresh details have emerged on the tragic death of a news anchor and producer with Arise TV, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who lost her life during an armed robbery at her residence in Abuja.

The attack was said to have occurred at about 3 a.m. on Monday, September 29, 2025, when about 15 armed men stormed Unique Apartments, a four-storey, 16-flat building in the Katampe area of Abuja.

According to Arise TV, security personnel on duty said the police were alerted during the invasion but failed to respond. One guard was injured in the assault.

Speaking during the TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, one of the station’s presenters, Ojinika Okpe, said Maduagwu, popularly known as Sommie, jumped from her apartment in a desperate attempt to escape the intruders.

Okpe said: “I reached out to our correspondent in Abuja, who detailed the circumstances surrounding her death.

ARISE News journalist Somtochukwu Maduagwu killed in Abuja robbery

“She jumped down from her home when she heard about 14 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.”

Also speaking, co-anchor and former presidential spokesperson Reuben Abati called for a thorough probe into the conduct of Maitama District Hospital staff and urged security agencies to fully investigate the circumstances of the incident.

Maduagwu, born on December 26, 1995, was also a trained lawyer before transitioning into broadcast journalism.

The Star