AriseTV correspondent Somtochukwu dreamt of a better Nigeria – Uncle

The family of late AriseTV correspondent, Somtochukwu “Sommie” Maduagwu, say her death has robbed Nigeria of a young woman who abandoned the comfort of the United Kingdom to help build a better society at home.

Sommie, 29, tragically died after jumping from a three-storey building in Abuja on Monday, September 29, while trying to escape armed robbers. She had already planned to wed before Easter 2026.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, her uncle, Engineer Obi Maduagwu, said the young journalist always believed Nigeria could work if good people returned home to contribute.

“She told her father she was leaving the UK, where she earned more, because she wanted Nigeria to work. She believed in a better society,” he recalled.

The family pieced together the events of her death from calls and photographs. Convincing her father, who was offshore with Shell, to return home required urgent arrangements, including a helicopter evacuation to Port Harcourt.

Her uncle described Sommie as independent, strong-willed and passionate about politics, especially women’s empowerment. She once called for more Senate seats for women and believed journalism was the best platform for her voice.

Just days before her death, she posted a haunting message: “Let Nigeria not happen to you.”

Engineer Maduagwu blamed insecurity and poor emergency response for her death. “If police had arrived on time, this tragedy could have been prevented. In the UK, distress calls are answered in minutes,” he lamented, adding that hospitals must stop demanding ID cards or police reports before saving lives.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, also mourned Sommie, calling her “one of the shining stars Rivers State gave to Nigeria and the world.” He described her death as “an unwholesome tragedy” and assured that security agencies had been directed to ensure justice is served.