Date: 2017-07-11

Residents of Kulende area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have been thrown into mourning following the killing of a young businesswoman simply known as Alhaja Rashidat. Rashidat, who was operating a shop close to her residence, was gunned down at about 10p.m. on Friday, while she was preparing to close for the day.

A source disclosed, yesterday, that the deceased was buried on Saturday according to Islamic rites amidst tears and wailings. It was gathered that the assailants had arrived the shop located beside the Ilorin Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, on a motorbike to perpetrate the act.

The source, who craved anonymity, said that as soon as the assailants trapped the deceased in her shop, they told her of their intention.

The victim was said to have pleaded with the assailants to spare her life, promising them money.

The suspects, however, were said to have ignored her plea and shot her before fleeing the scene. The deceased, it was learned, had been a victim of several robberies in the area because of her thriving business.

DSP Ajayi Okasanmi, the Police Public Relations Officer of Kwara State Police Command, confirmed the incident. He said the two assailants came on a motorcycle and shot the victim dead in front of her shop at Kulende. Okasanmi, however, said that some suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.

He said that the suspects would soon be paraded alongside other suspected cultists recently arrested in the state.