A 65-year-old woman, Mrs. Clara Uwaifo, has been shot dead by a suspected teenage cultist in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 3pm, last Wednesday.
It was also gathered that Uwaifo was shot at a close range near the gate of her residence at 27, Oviawe Street, off Upper Siluko road, Ogida, in Benin.
Southern City News learnt that the late widow was returning from a hospital where she had gone to visit her daughter, who was recently delivered of a baby, when the suspect struck.
Sympathisers were sighted at her residence, many of whom expressed bitterness over the murder of the sexagenarian.
Her granddaughter (name withheld), who allegedly witnessed the incident, said that she was returning from school when she saw her (Uwaifo) also approaching the gate, with the suspect following her closely.The deceased was said to have retired as the headmistress of Uwelu Primary School, Uwelu, in August, 2015.
She explained that as she ran up to welcome her grandmother and help her carry one of the bags she was holding, the teenager pulled out a short gun from his trousers and shot at the woman from behind.
She, however, alleged that the suspect was the son of their neighbour, whose family had been at loggerheads with the Uwaifos.
A source also alleged that members of the suspect’s family had on several occasions threatened to kill the woman and added that a report had been lodged at the State Criminal Investigation Department in 2015.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Osifo Abiodun, who confirmed the killing, identified the suspect as “one Happy Agbangbanyan, a teenage cultist and serial killer on police wanted list.”
He said that the police command had begun a manhunt for the suspect.
“A woman was shot and killed by a cultist. We are on the trail of the cultist,” Abiodun said on Friday.