Arise News Television has released the funeral arrangements for its late anchor, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who was tragically killed during an armed robbery attack at her residence in Katampe, Abuja, on September 29, 2025.
According to a statement by the station, “Somtochukwu will be laid to rest on Saturday, October 18, 2025”.
An evening of tributes is scheduled for Sunday, October 12, 2025, at the THISDAY Dome, Central Business District, Abuja, followed by a service of songs on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the Corpus Christi Cathedral, Kaduna Street, Port Harcourt.
Her final rites will hold in Anambra State, beginning with a funeral mass at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Agulu, after which she will be interred on Saturday, October 18.
The 29-year-old journalist, lawyer, and model lost her life during a violent robbery at her home in Abuja.
In an earlier statement, the FCT Police Command confirmed that 12 suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime. The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed the weapons used were procured from Niger Republic.
“Preliminary investigations showed that the syndicate procured its firearms — including a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, a pump-action gun, and a pistol — from an arms dealer operating across the Nigeria–Niger border,” Adeh stated.
- Somtochukwu’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief across the media community, with colleagues and viewers remembering her as a vibrant, intelligent, and compassionate journalist whose voice and presence lit up the screen.
