“No Fuel In Patrol Van: Sh*cking Twist In Death Of Arise TV Anchor”

Fresh information has surfaced online alleging that negligence on the part of the Nigerian police contributed to the tragic death of ARISE News anchor, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu.

According to Ireporter Online, the 29-year-old journalist, fondly called Sommie, lost her life during an armed robbery attack at her residence in Katampe, Abuja, on September 29, 2025.

A family friend, Kaanayo Nwachukwu, who spoke on the incident, clarified that contrary to earlier reports, the armed robbers did not directly attack Sommie. He explained that the assailants raided the six-flat apartment complex where she lived, moving from one apartment to another and dispossessing occupants of valuables.

Overwhelmed by fear from the commotion in neighboring flats, Sommie attempted to escape before the robbers reached her apartment. In her panic, she jumped through a window and sustained severe injuries from the fall.

Nwachukwu recounted that when police officers eventually arrived minutes later, Sommie was still alive and pleaded with them to take her to a hospital for urgent treatment. Shockingly, the officers allegedly told her they could not render assistance because there was no fuel in their patrol vehicle.

Left without help, Sommie reportedly managed to reach out to her mother’s close friend, who lived nearby in Abuja, since her parents reside in Port Harcourt. Sadly, before help could arrive, she succumbed to her injuries.

Describing the incident as a needless tragedy, Nwachukwu lamented that the death was entirely preventable, pointing to systemic failures within Nigeria’s security apparatus.

He further shared that Sommie’s birth had been a blessing to her family, as it took her mother ten years after marriage to conceive her. She was the eldest of three children. After completing her secondary education in Nigeria, she studied law in the United Kingdom before returning home to attend the Nigerian Law School. In 2024, she joined ARISE News, where she built a promising career cut short by the tragic events.