By Kamsi Anayo
A Nigerian student, Oluwabukola Pereira, has been killed in the United States just days before she was due to complete her Master of Business Administration programme at Xavier University.
Authorities said Pereira was shot on Friday, May 8, during a robbery at Arise Auto Center, where she was employed.
Investigators with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office are currently examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, while a motive has not been officially established.
Local media reports, citing a colleague, Don Simpson, said Pereira pursued a suspect who fled with about $1,500 before she was shot during the encounter.
He described her as committed and courageous, noting her determination to build a future in the country.
Police said the suspect is a male, believed to be between 25 and 35 years old, described as Black or Hispanic, with long hair styled in braids or dreadlocks. He was last seen running toward the Gardner Park area.
Pereira was scheduled to graduate on May 16. The university confirmed she had also secured admission for a postgraduate programme in Business Analytics set to begin later in the year.
Xavier University President, Colleen Hanycz, described her as a student with a positive outlook, strong faith, and generosity. Fellow students and peers also remembered her as intelligent, kind, and well respected within the campus community.
Beyond academics, Pereira was active in athletics and competed with a Cincinnati-based running group, participating in events such as the Flying Pig Marathon.
Her family said she was the first of four children and was preparing for marriage following her engagement in 2025.
Authorities have continued investigations into the killing and have called on members of the public to provide any information that could assist in tracking the suspect.
