‘She would never jump’-Father of Arise TV journalist killed in Abuja insists her death was not accidental

Ifeanyi Maduagwu, the father of the late Arise Television journalist, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, has rejected claims that his daughter fell to her death while escaping armed robbers, insisting she was murdered.

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The late journalist, fondly called Sommie, died on the night of 29 September after armed robbers invaded her residence in the Katampe area of Abuja.

In a recent interview with BBC Igbo, Mr Maduagwu said the accounts surrounding his daughter’s death “don’t add up” and urged the police to uncover the truth behind the tragic incident.

Ifeanyi Maduagwa, late Sommie's Father — ***Ifeanyi Maduagwa, late Sommie’s Father***

“I know that my first daughter, Sommie Tochukwu Christelle Maduagwa, whom I gave birth to, would not have jumped from a three-storey building. For somebody to be telling me that she jumped, and one of the armed robbers claimed to have held her, and her weight was overwhelming for him, and she fell off, looks funny. I believe that my daughter was murdered.”

“Sommie loved her life so much. If you keep her on a table and ask her to jump down, she can’t, let alone from a three-storey building. That is a lie,” he said. “I want the police to investigate the incident properly to unravel the truth because the truth is still hidden.”

Casualty

During the invasion, the estate’s security guard, Barnabas Danlami, was reportedly shot dead. Somtochukwu was reported to have fallen from the third floor of her building while attempting to flee the attackers.

However, her father maintains that the story of her falling by accident is false. He also lamented that she did not receive timely medical help.

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He said, “I heard that they called for help when it happened, but none came quickly. Even when she was taken to the hospital, they delayed attending to her because they asked for her identification papers. All those things broke my heart.”

Police intervention

This newspaper reported that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command had confirmed the arrest of 12 suspected armed robbers in connection with the attack that led to the journalist’s death.

The suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, Hassan Isah (22), Abubakar Alkamu (27), Sani Sirajo (20), Mashkur Jamilu (28), Suleiman Badamasi (21), Abdulsalam Saleh, Zaharadeen Muhammad (23), Musa Adamu (30), Sumayya Mohammed (27), Isah Abdulrahman (25), and Musa Umar (31), were apprehended through coordinated operations across Abuja, Nasarawa, and Kaduna States.

According to the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao S. Adewale, the arrests followed the Scorpion Squad’s digital tracking and intelligence gathering efforts in collaboration with a private forensic firm.

Recovered from the suspects were a locally-fabricated AK-47 rifle, a pump-action gun, a pistol, 36 rounds of live ammunition, a cutlass, nine torchlights, and four mobile phones belonging to the victims.

The police said one of the suspects, Shamsudeen Hassan, confessed to firing the shot that killed the security guard during the attack. Investigations also revealed that the gang allegedly sourced their weapons from suppliers in the Niger Republic, indicating a cross-border arms smuggling network.

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Deeper investigation

For Mr Maduagwu, the arrests are only a first step. He believes a deeper investigation is needed to establish whether his daughter’s death was connected to her work as a journalist.

“The truth is still hidden,” he said. “I want justice for my daughter. I want the world to know that she couldn’t have jumped. Sommie was full of life and dreams.”

He recalled their last conversation before her death, describing her as passionate about improving society and aspired to be a senator someday.

“We talked about many things, but what made me happy was that she said she was ready to settle down soon. She always wanted to make life better for people and talked about going into politics someday.”

The late journalist was buried on Saturday in her hometown, Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.

After a funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church.

Family, friends, colleagues, and dignitaries attended the burial, including the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who paid tribute to her legacy.