More information has emerged about how Arise News reporter and producer, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, died during a robbery incident in her apartment in Abuja on Monday.
Arise News had on Monday confirmed the death of Somtochukwu, fondly called Sommie, during a robbery operation at her Katampe residence in Abuja in the early hours of Monday, September 29.
The media organisation did not disclose the exact circumstances leading to the death of the brilliant broadcaster, lawyer and model.
A statement by Hadiza Usman-Ajayi on behalf of Arise Global management, the incident was being investigated by the police.
However, an X user, Charlie of Umunna (@CharlieCaker), who claims to be close to a cousin of the deceased, disclosed that Sommie actually fell from the third floor of her apartment block.
According to Charlie, when the armed robbers began to rob the apartments, they created so much commotion that many of the residents panicked.
He said in the commotion, Sommie fell from her floor to the ground and was immobilised because of the injuries she sustained.
Charlie also alleged that the police team summoned when the robbers first arrived did not get to the scene on time.
When they finally did, they were allegedly requested to use their patrol van to take the deceased to the hospital.
Charlie said the policemen claimed not to have enough fuel for that. Alternative arrangements were later made, but Sommie did not make it.
He further disclosed that the deceased was to mark her 30th birthday in two months and was also to get married about the same time.
A blogger, Temilola Sobola, who claimed to know a friend of the deceased, also gave an account that was not different from Charlie’s account. Quoting the friend, she claimed that Sommie climbed out of the window of her apartment due to panic and fell.
Meanwhile, only last month, Sommie put out a tweet where she prayed that Nigeria would not happen to her or anyone she cared about.
Roughly one month afterwards, she lost her life in a needless manner.
Similarly, an old message of the late broadcaster, wherein she seemed to express fear of being targeted, has also hit social media.
A screenshot of the messages she exchanged with an unknown person she identified as ‘Boo’ showed her expressing fear that someone would eat her
She had written, “I’m just trying to survive so that they won’t eat me too”. The person she was chatting with replied with, “God forbid. That would never happen. You are on the right side of history. Please remain there.”
The person added, “Let little girls have people like you to look up to, please.”
Arise described Sommie, 29, as a cherished member of the Arise family and a vibrant voice that engaged and connected with our viewers.
The organisation said she was a professional who was supportive and a friend to many.
See a screenshot of her text exchange, a multimedia tribute made for her by Arise TV, here.
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