The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has described the death of Somtochukwu Maduagwu, a lawyer and journalist with Arise News, as a tragic indictment of Nigeria’s failed institutions.
Maduagwu died on Sunday night in Abuja after armed robbers invaded her residence. In an attempt to escape, she reportedly leapt from her apartment, sustaining fatal injuries.
In a statement signed by Ibrahim Zikirullahi, CHRICED’s Executive Director, the organisation said her death was avoidable and symbolises the failures of Nigeria’s security and health systems.
According to the group, after she was rushed to a hospital in Maitama, Maduagwu was allegedly denied emergency treatment because staff demanded a police report before attending to her.
“Instead of succumbing to bullets or machetes, she became a victim of a system that values bureaucracy over humanity,” CHRICED said.
The organisation cited Section 20 of the National Health Act (2014), which forbids the denial of emergency treatment for any reason and prescribes fines and imprisonment for defaulters.
“Somtochukwu was entitled to urgent care. The law guaranteed it. But the practice betrayed her,” the statement added.
CHRICED argued that Maduagwu’s death was caused not only by the robbery but also by the “lethal combination of insecurity, slow police response, and medical negligence rooted in a culture of impunity.”
The organisation demanded a transparent investigation into the robbery attack, the hospital’s refusal of treatment, and the role of the police in the delayed response.
It urged the federal government and police authorities to prioritise citizens’ security, while calling on the Ministry of Health and relevant regulators to strictly enforce the National Health Act.
“Somtochukwu’s death must not be in vain. It must become a turning point for justice, accountability, and systemic change,” CHRICED said.
The group extended condolences to her family, colleagues at Arise TV, and all who mourn her passing, adding that her memory should “ignite a flame that pushes Nigeria to reclaim its conscience and humanity.”
