The woman who spoke with truth and carried justice in her bones.

Her name was Somtochukwu Christelle “Sommie” Maduagwu. The lawyer-turned-reporter and presenter whose vibrant voice connected with so many and brought sunshine.

Born on December 26, 1995, in London, she grew up in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Trained as a lawyer in the United Kingdom, she returned home for National Youth Service and pursued her passion for media and storytelling.

She became known for her work with ARISE News, where she anchored, produced, reported, and used her legal training to illuminate issues of law, gender equality, NGOs and human rights.

Then tragedy struck.

On September 29, 2025, in the early hours, Sommie’s residence in Katampe, Abuja, came under armed robbery attack. It was reported that she jumped from her apartment’s third floor in her desperation to escape, .

She was rushed to Maitama General Hospital but later succumbed to her injuries and pain.

At just 29 years old, her death has been mourned as a cruel loss not just by her family, but by all who knew her, and those who believed in the power of truthful journalism.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, state governors and media figures have called for justice, for measures to ensure such violence does not silence more voices like Sommie’s

Her legacy will endure in the clarity she brought, the courage she showed, the stories she told.

Sommie was more than a broadcaster; she was a light in unsafe places, an advocate for fairness, a reminder that truth matters.

May her soul rest in peace and may her memory push us toward a world where life is safe for those who speak for justice.

Praise Eberechi Azubuike

Abuja, Nigeria.