CONDOLENCE STATEMENT BY BARTH OKOYE ANICHE, ESQ.
•Past 3rd Vice President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Past Publicity Secretary, Eastern Bar Forum
I received with deep sorrow the heartbreaking news of the tragic murder of Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu — a brilliant lawyer, broadcaster, and rising star of Arise News. Her untimely death, at the hands of armed criminals in Abuja, has thrown the legal profession, the media community, and indeed the nation into mourning.
Somtochukwu represented the finest of her generation: articulate, dedicated, and committed to truth, justice, and service. To have her life so cruelly cut short is not only a devastating blow to her family and friends, but also a grave loss to the Nigerian Bar Association and to journalists across our nation.
I extend my heartfelt condolences to her immediate family, to her colleagues in Arise News, to the Nigerian Bar Association, and to the entire community of journalists and lawyers who now grieve this senseless tragedy. May God grant her eternal rest and comfort all who mourn her.
This unfortunate incident underscores, yet again, the urgent need to overhaul Nigeria’s security architecture. Our nation can no longer afford to treat these repeated acts of violence as isolated occurrences. Abuja, our Federal Capital Territory, should be a symbol of safety and order — not a theatre of fear. Government must rise to the challenge, enhance intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing, and invest in modern security infrastructure to protect lives and property.
We cannot continue to lose our brightest minds to the recklessness of bandits and armed criminals. I call on the President, security agencies, and all stakeholders to take decisive and far-reaching action. The murder of Somtochukwu must not be just another headline; it must be a turning point in our collective resolve to secure our people.
Her light was extinguished too soon, but may it inspire us to build a Nigeria where no family has to endure this kind of pain again.
Signed.
•Barth Okoye Aniche, Esq.
Past 3rd Vice President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Past Publicity Secretary, Eastern Bar Forum
