More details have emerged on how Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a presenter with ARISE News, died untimely
during a robbery attack at her residence in Katampe, Abuja, on Monday.
Her neighbours said she died in the early hours of Monday after attempting to escape armed robbers by jumping her third-floor apartment balcony.
Residents of the area said the incident, which ARISE TV had confirmed in a statement signed by Hadiza Usman-Ajayi, was the latest in a string of violent attacks in the Katampe district.
A neighbour, identified as Tijani, recounted that the attack was not an isolated incident but part of a wave of robberies plaguing the area.
"About six or seven houses had been attacked on this street recently, and even a hotel was invaded.
‘’They operated for over an hour,” he said.
According to him, the robbers stormed the building around 3am, overpowered security personnel with superior firepower and went from flat to flat, robbing residents of cars, laptops, phones, and other valuables.
Tijani explained that while some residents surrendered their belongings and were left unharmed, Maduagwu appeared overwhelmed by panic.
“Some of the occupants, when they barged into their apartments, surrendered what they had and the robbers did nothing to them. But unfortunately, she couldn’t handle the shock and rushed to her balcony and jumped from the third floor,” he said.
He added, “Unfortunately, Christelle panicked and tried to flee through her balcony. We heard the robbers even begged her not to jump, but she landed on concrete and could not survive the impact.
"I was the one who even called her cousin after the incident. We couldn’t break the news instantly because she was at work,” he recalled.
He added that the estate’s security guard was also shot during the operation as he tried to repel the attackers.
“The kind of ammunition those guys brought in were different from what our civilian security had. They overpowered him and gained access to the building,” he said.
The neighbour described the incident as a carefully planned assault, noting that suspicious vehicles had been seen in the neighbourhood before the robbery.
While debunking the claims that Maduagwu’s death was an assassination, Tijani criticised what he described as misleading narratives on social media and in some news outlets.
“I don’t know why the media is taking advantage of what is happening. People are bringing twisted news. What actually happened is different from what we are hearing online,” he insisted.
He urged the public to stick to verified accounts of the incident to avoid distracting ongoing investigations.
He further revealed that the Department of State Services (DSS) detectives and police officers were at the scene throughout the night.
“The DSS were also here, working tirelessly to make sure these people are apprehended,” he said.
Residents said the police only arrived minutes after the robbers.
“Within three months, about eight or nine estates had been robbed in this district alone. Unfortunately, this time a life was lost,” Tijani noted.
He lamented that poor emergency response also worsened the situation, as Maduagwu lost significant blood before help could reach her.
As grief overshadows Katampe, neighbours, family, and colleagues continue to mourn the young journalist’s untimely death.
Daily trust newspaper
