A Nigerian athlete, Oluwabukola Pereira, has been shot dead in the United States just days before she was scheduled to graduate with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
Gatekeepers News reports that the 30-year-old middle-distance runner was killed during a suspected robbery at a car service centre in Lockland, Ohio, where she worked as a cashier.
The incident reportedly occurred on May 8 after an assailant allegedly stole about $1,500 from the business. A co-worker said Pereira confronted the suspect before she was shot. Local authorities in Ohio have launched an investigation into the killing, although an official motive has yet to be confirmed.
Pereira was an MBA student at Xavier University and was expected to graduate on May 16. Reports also stated that she had already secured admission for another postgraduate programme in Business Analytics later this year.
Friends, former teammates and members of the Nigerian athletics community have since paid tribute to her, describing her as hardworking, disciplined and committed to building a better future abroad.
