Her dream wedding was a few months away Her dream wedding was months away. She had every reason to remain in the UK—a budding career, peace of mind, a wedding planned for Easter 2026, and a father who begged her not to return to a country she once feared might "happen" to her. But Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a rising journalist and promising anchor with Arise TV, chose to serve her fatherland, a decision that cost her everything. ANAYO ONUKWUGHA unravels the tragedy of a life cut short and the haunting question it leaves behind: Is Nigeria still worth coming home to?

Tucked away around the serene Rebisi Garden, better known as GRA Phase 4, in the heart of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, lies the quiet, grieving home of the parents of the late Arise Television newscaster, Somtochukwu Maduagwu. Outside, wailing and anguished screams pierce the stillness as small groups of neighbors, senior colleagues, friends, and community members gather. Some have swollen eyes from hours of weeping, while others stand in stunned silence, struggling to process the cruel twist of fate that has shattered a once-promising future.

The modest one-story building, located just behind the Nigeria Police Mobile Force 19, has become a solemn gathering point since Monday, September 30, 2025, drawing a steady stream of mourners following the painful and untimely demise of Somtochukwu, fondly known within the family and beyond as ‘Sommie’. It all started and ended on a quiet night in Abuja, where hope met heartbreak in an instant. While trying to escape a robbery attack, Somtochukwu met a cruel and untimely death. This tragedy has left her family shattered and a nation once again confronting a painful question: Should young, talented Nigerians continue risking it all for a country that offers them so little in return?

For her loving parents, who only recently marked their wedding anniversary, the loss has torn open a wound so deep it may never heal, leaving them wretched with grief and robbed of the joy their daughter once brought home. Aged 29, the deceased sustained fatal injuries after jumping from a three-story building in the Katampe area of Abuja. Before returning to Nigeria against her father’s wishes, she lived and worked in the United Kingdom alongside her two younger siblings.

LEADERSHIP Weekend visited the residence of Somtochukwu’s parents, both of whom are still young and working, but they were unable to speak about their first daughter due to uncontrollable tears. Instead, they entrusted her uncle, her father’s elder brother, Engr. Obi Maduagwu, to speak on their behalf.

Engr. Maduagwu explained that he was the first family member to be contacted after Somtochukwu’s death, as her father works offshore on an oil rig.

He said, “It was really a shock. They called me about my niece. I have other nieces, children of my immediate younger sister, and they are in Abuja too. They called me and said this is what they heard. They said someone used Sommie’s phone to call them and said this is what happened to your sister. I said, ‘Okay, rush to that place. You know normally, some scammers can call you and say this person is sick or that.’ I told her to go to Sommie’s place and confirm. She got there, saw what was happening, asked them, and they confirmed it.”

“I then said, ‘Okay, since they said it is true, go to the hospital to confirm whether it is her or not.’ She went to the National Hospital, Abuja, saw her, and sent me the evidence immediately. The pictures were there, which made me confirm—one of her on the stretcher and one of the building she fell from. It was when I got those pictures that I started thinking about what to do.”

“Her father, who is my junior brother, works on the rig, and her mother also works. That was the problem. If I decided to hide it from them, it might leak onto the internet at any moment. So, I started making arrangements to get her (Sommie’s mother) back from her office through her elder sister’s husband, who is in Abuja.”

“When I called her, I didn’t tell her anything but requested the phone number of her brother-in-law. I called him, explained what had happened, and asked him to find out exactly what had happened. He dropped everything he was doing and rushed to the hospital in Abuja, where he confirmed it. We were then able to bring her back and inform her. But before that, she had a feeling something was wrong, though she couldn’t figure it out.”

Obi Maduagwu stated that Somtochukwu was someone who always did things her own way whenever she wanted to.

“She was the first daughter and had two younger siblings, a boy and a girl. Somtochukwu was always determined; when she set her mind on something, nothing could stop her. If she said, ‘This is what I want to do and where I want to go,’ there was no convincing her otherwise.”

“She completed her studies in the United Kingdom and worked there for two years. Then, she announced her decision to return to Nigeria. Her father protested, asking what she hoped to achieve back home. But she was steadfast, insisting that she must come back. She told her father that she was coming home to make Nigeria work. That was her conviction. While many were fleeing the country, those already abroad with foreign passports and citizenship, Somtochukwu chose to return and serve her fatherland. It was a bold, selfless stand that defined her spirit.”

Her Dreams

Her uncle, Mr. Obi Maduagwu, further revealed that Somtochukwu dreamed of playing a prominent role in Nigeria’s political system, particularly championing women’s emancipation and equality. He said, “She had aspirations of making a significant impact in politics. In an interview with Kachi on Arise TV last year, she openly shared her desire to enter politics and fight for women’s rights and equality.”

“Just the Monday before she died, she anchored a special program on Arise TV advocating for the reservation of seats for women in the National Assembly. That shows the kind of passionate person she was. For her to tell her father she was leaving the UK, where she earned more than she did in Nigeria, to come back and work for her country speaks volumes about her dedication and character.”

Marriage Plans

According to her uncle, Somtochukwu had plans to finalize her marriage arrangements before the Easter festivities of 2026. Maduagwu said, “Yes, it was in the pipeline. The wedding was expected to take place on or before Easter next year.”

Speaking about the expectations her parents had for her, Obi Maduagwu explained that they did not demand much from Somtochukwu at this stage, as both were still young and working. “What more could they expect from her? They invested in her upbringing and education with the hope that she would grow and succeed in her own time. Her father is still strong, her mother is still strong, and both are working hard. They weren’t expecting her to be bringing returns just yet. They only wanted the best for their little girl. If you knew the kind of schools she attended, you would understand how much they desired the best for her, and they made sure she had it.”

Why She Abandoned Law for Journalism

Obi Maduagwu believes Somtochukwu may have chosen journalism because it gave her a platform where her voice could truly be heard. He said, “Maybe she wanted a place to express herself freely, like she did just days before her death when she anchored a program advocating for more seats for women in the National Assembly.”

The uncle also shared that the family was initially reluctant to support her involvement in beauty pageants but eventually came around. “I told you, she was someone who always had her own mind about whatever she decided to do. At first, when she entered the beauty pageant, we opposed it. But over time, we had no choice but to support her, and luckily, she won.”

A Haunting Premonition

Obi Maduagwu revealed a chilling detail from the days before Somtochukwu’s tragic death, a social media post that now reads like a haunting premonition. “I can’t say for sure,” he reflected, “but about a week or two before she died, she posted something that caught my attention. She wrote, ‘Let Nigeria not happen to you,’ words that tragically came true for her. When you look at it that way, it almost feels like she sensed what was coming. Maybe it was a premonition.”

Police Silence When It Mattered Most

The uncle also voiced his deep frustration over the police’s delayed response to distress calls made by residents during the attack. He lamented that a swift intervention could have changed the course of events. He explained that “residents of the building called the police immediately. It’s like when there’s a police station nearby and people are under attack, you expect help to come fast. But the police took too long to respond. If they had arrived within 10, 15, or even 20 minutes, this tragedy might have been prevented. That delay exposed a glaring failure in our emergency response system.” (Fortune)

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