It was a black Monday evening when the news of the death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a presenter and reporter with ARISE News, flooded the internet.
According to reports, she was killed following an armed robbery attack at her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja in the early hours of Monday, September 29, 2025.
In a statement released by Hadiza Usman-Ajayi on behalf of Arise TV management, the station described Maduagwu, popularly known as Sommie, as “a cherished member of the ARISE News family.”
“Sommie tragically passed away in the early hours of Monday following an armed robbery incident in her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja that is being investigated by the Nigeria Police,” the statement read.
We extend our deepest condolences to Sommie’s parents, siblings, extended family, friends, and loved ones at this difficult time. Sommie’s voice is now silent, but her spirit, passion, and legacy will endure as part of our collective memory. We remain in shock and call for a speedy investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of the culprits.
Life and Times of Somtochukwu Maduagwu
Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu’s brief life spanned across law, media, entertainment, and advocacy.
She was born on 26 December 1995 and was 29 years old at the time of her death.
She is the first of three children. Her dad is from Anambra, and her mum is from Delta, but she grew up in Port Harcourt.
She bagged a degree in law from the University of Surrey in 2016. Somtochukwu had various stints as a lawyer and consultant before joining ARISE TV in September 2024 as a news anchor and producer.
Beyond her work as a lawyer, she also had a vibrant personality. She first shot into the limelight as a beauty queen. She graced the ARISE News screen as a guest when she participated in and won the Miss Tourism Nigeria pageant.
Following her pageant win, Sommie went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Tourism World pageant held in Quanzhou, China, in 2023. She had previously also won Face of Zaron in 2020.
She was also an advocate against sexual and gender-based violence. One of her most recent coverages was the Submission of a Memorandum for the Reserved Seats for Women Bill held on the 21st of September.