'I am Devastated' - Mother of Final Year Poly Student Killed by vigilance group

The mother of the late Lawrenta Uloko, a final-year student of Auchi Polytechnic in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State,  who was killed by a stray bullet, has said she is still in shock over the death of her daughter, according to a report by Punch.

 

Speaking to journalists, Mrs. Eunice Uloko said that, though, her late daughter had been buried at her hometown in Fugar, the pain from the loss would be difficult to forget as she (Lawrenta) was a promising child.

 

Before her death, Lawrenta was a Higher National Diploma student of the Department of Banking and Finance. She died on November 3 after a stray bullet from the gun held by a member of a vigilance group hit her. 

 

Lawrenta was said to have joined other graduating students at a party to celebrate the completion of their final examinations while some local vigilantes were invited to provide security during the celebration.

 

It was learnt that the gun held by one of the vigilantes had failed to release any bullet when he shot into the air during the party.

 

Late Lawrenta Uloko

 

Tragedy, however, struck when the gun discharged and hit the victim as he lowered it in an attempt to find out what had gone wrong. The vigilante member was said to have been taken into custody by  the police while investigation was ongoing.

 

Speaking on the anguish since her daughter's death, Mrs. Uloko said: “It was a sad news to me because I know what she would have become in future. She called me and was so happy that she had graduated. She told me not to worry and that when she comes home, we would celebrate with the family.

“I wanted to go but I asked my last child to go and support her and she left. After we had discussed, the next I heard was my other daughter at home calling me that I should call Lawrenta and when I called, they told me she was shot dead.”

The grieving mother described her late daughter as a kind-hearted child who always wanted her to be happy.

“I will miss her care for me because whenever she was going back to school after the holiday, she would give me one of her T-shirts. Now that she is gone, she will no longer drop her shirt, ear ring or slippers for me.

“Every December, she bought hair attachments for me so that I would look nice during the (Christmas) celebration. It is painful to lose her and I do not know how I will cope. I live everything to God because only Him will console me.”