Fatimah Otunsanya
Tears flowed freely on Saturday as the remains of the late Arise Television news anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, popularly known as “Sommie,” were laid to rest in her hometown of Agulu, in the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who attended the solemn ceremony alongside the deceased’s family members, friends, colleagues, and dignitaries, decried the insecurity plaguing the country.
Obi described Maduagwu’s death as heartbreaking and a painful reflection of the country’s worsening security situation.
Speaking after the Mass, Obi, who also hails from Agulu, said, “We cannot question God. When I heard of her death, I didn’t know that she was from Agulu even before I tweeted about it. Our coming here will help to console you, but we know that this loss is a huge one. It is the wish of God, and none of us can question Him. Please do remember her and her immediate family in your prayers.
Maduagwu, who was killed during an armed robbery attack at her residence in Abuja in September 2025, was buried around 1:30 p.m. after a funeral Mass at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Agulu.
Delivering a homily during the Mass, Rev. Fr. Peter Ezewuzie of St. Theresa’s Parish consoled the bereaved family and urged them to take solace in the belief that Maduagwu lived a meaningful and impactful life.
He said, “The Lord who created us knows the beginning from the end.
The late journalist’s death in September sent shockwaves across Nigeria’s media community. Reports said the assailants invaded her Abuja home at night, and she was later confirmed dead at a nearby hospital.