Sommie’s dream was to make Nigeria a better society – Uncle

…How she Planned Her Marriage Before Next Easter

…As Fubara Mourns

By Daniel Abia, Port Harcourt

The abrupt decease of 29-year-old AriseTV correspondent, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, has devastated her family, cutting abbreviated her imagination of leaving down the comfortableness of the United Kingdom to instrumentality location and lend to gathering a amended Nigeria.

Fondly called “Sommie,” she reportedly jumped from a three-storey gathering successful Abuja portion trying to flight an equipped robbery onslaught connected Monday, September 29. She had already finalized plans to wed earlier Easter 2026.

Her uncle, Engineer Obi Maduagwu, who spoke to journalists successful Port Harcourt, described the daze of receiving the tragic news. He explained however the household pieced unneurotic the events from calls and photographs sent from the country and hospital.

According to him, convincing Sommie’s father—who was moving offshore—to instrumentality location required urgent involution from colleagues and superiors astatine Shell. A chopper was arranged to bring him backmost to Port Harcourt the aforesaid day.

Reflecting connected her values, Engr. Maduagwu said Sommie was independent-minded, determined, and passionate astir nationalist service. “She told her begetter she was leaving the UK, wherever she was earning more, due to the fact that she wanted Nigeria to work. She believed successful a amended society,” helium recalled.

She erstwhile revealed successful an AriseTV interrogation her involvement successful politics, peculiarly women’s empowerment, and had championed the telephone for much Senate seats for women. A quality pageant victor successful her younger years, she was described arsenic strong-willed and self-driven.

Sommie, who had dual citizenship and completed her acquisition successful the UK, deliberately chose journalism implicit law. Her uncle explained, “She wanted a level to explicit herself.” He added that her comment—“Let Nigeria not hap to you”—days earlier her decease present feels similar a premonition.

He lamented Nigeria’s insecurity and dilatory exigency response: “If constabulary had arrived connected time, this calamity could person been prevented. In the UK, distress calls are answered successful minutes.” He besides decried hospitals’ demands for ID cards oregon constabulary reports earlier treatment, urging reforms to prioritize redeeming lives.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara expressed heavy sorrow implicit Sommie’s death, describing her arsenic “one of the shining stars Rivers State gave to Nigeria and the world.”

In a statement, helium praised her brilliance, humility, and passionateness for justice, calling her decease an “unwholesome tragedy.” He assured that information agencies person been directed to guarantee justness is served, portion noting that the void her passing leaves down cannot easy beryllium filled.

The station Sommie’s imagination was to marque Nigeria a amended nine – Uncle appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.