Oluwabukola Pereira, a Nigerian athlete and graduate student, was shot dead in the United States during a shooting incident at an auto repair shop in Lockland, Ohio, where she worked as a cashier. This incident has thrown the Nigerian sports and academic community into mourning.
The 30-year-old was reportedly killed on Friday, May 8, 2026, just a week away from graduating from Xavier University with a master of business administration (MBA) degree.
According to reports from local authorities and media outlets, the incident happened during what has been described as a suspected robbery attack.
A worker at the auto shop who was a witness, Don Simpson, said that Pereira chased after a suspect who allegedly fled with about $1,500 before she was shot. Investigations into the incident are still ongoing, and police have yet to confirm the full motive behind the attack officially.
Her longtime mentor, James Lafferty, revealed that Pereira moved to the United States from Nigeria at the age of 18 after her exceptional talent as a 15-year-old runner was discovered during a youth athletics initiative in Lagos. He got to know her family and helped sponsor her immigration to the US. According to him, she arrived in America with just $10 but remained determined to succeed academically and professionally, Cincinnati reports.
Before beginning her MBA at Xavier University, Pereira earned an undergraduate degree from Southwest Baptist University and later obtained a master’s degree in communication from the University of Texas at El Paso. She was also reportedly preparing to begin another postgraduate programme in business analytics before her life was cut short.
Beyond academics, Pereira was known within athletics circles as a talented middle-distance runner. Reports state that she remained active in the running community in Cincinnati and even won the Flying Pig 5K race in 2024.
The tragedy became even more emotional when Xavier University honoured her during its graduation ceremony. During the commencement event, university officials paid tribute to the late student, acknowledging that she should have been among the graduating class. Emotional tributes and moments of silence were held in her memory.
Her death has sparked an outpouring of grief online, especially among Nigerians who saw her story as one of resilience, determination, and hope. Many social media users have described her journey from Nigeria to the United States as inspiring, while others lamented the painful irony of her life ending just as she was about to celebrate one of her biggest achievements.
It was also gathered that Pereira was the first of four children and was due for marriage later this year after being engaged by her partner sometime in 2025.
Friends, colleagues, and members of the Nigerian community in the US have continued to mourn her death, describing her as hardworking, ambitious, compassionate, and deeply committed to building a better future for herself.
As of the latest update, authorities are still searching for the suspect involved in the shooting, while tributes continue to pour in from across Nigeria and the United States.
