Former Nigerian Beauty Queen Shot Dead in Front of Her Home in the US

A former Nigerian beauty queen Najeebat Sule, was on March 12, shot dead while sitting in her car in front of her family’s home in Philadelphia, at Frankford Avenue and no arrests have been made as her parents are now in hiding out of fear for their lives.

Najeebaat who was known to her loved ones as Najee, was shot multiple times by an unknown gunman and nearly three weeks later, police have not found the culprit, leaving Sule’s family and friends searching for answers.

A friend of hers by name Magaji who was among the last people to have seen Sule alive before she was gunned down, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that she couldn’t think of any reason why anyone would want to kill her friend, adding that they had equally spent the previous night at her (Magaji’s) home, eating snacks and watching Netflix together.

Sule was sitting in her Toyota and texting with a friend outside her parent’s home when a gunman approached her and opened fire. Her father, Adewale Sule, who heard the gunshots, emerged from the house just in time to see the suspect fire the last of the shots at his daughter.

“I saw the guy shooting my daughter. He shot the last round and I pursued him, he ran back to his car” the father said.

Najeet was rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where she was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.

Also speaking, her mother Tawakalitu Sule, said she last heard from Najeet less than two hours before the shooting, when her daughter had asked her when she would be home.

“All of my children have been crying every day because of their big sister. They really miss her. I miss my daughter,’ she said.

The family are currently staying at an undisclosed location over unspecified concerns for their safety.

Sule had only recently earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from West Chester University and was pursuing a doctorate.

In 2019, she was crowned a second runner-up at the Miss Nigeria International pageant.

“Queen Najibat was an amazing young lady whose presence at the Miss Nigerian beauty pageant left a great ripple that continues to resonate,’ pageant organizers wrote on Facebook. ‘She was a breath of fresh air and her presence added a distinct touch that made the event memorable. She carried herself with great dignity and grace and her strength of character and approachability made her such a joy to work with”.