Nigerian Uber driver shot dead in US
By Jeffrey Agbo
A 77-year-old Nigerian Uber driver, Olatunji Bolaji, was tragically shot and killed in an ambush while picking up a passenger outside a Philadelphia hookah lounge in the early hours of Wednesday, April 15.
According to CBS News, the incident occurred just before 2 a.m. outside Byblos Hookah Bar. As Bolaji arrived to pick up a 22-year-old passenger, two men exited a nearby vehicle and opened fire on Bolaji’s car.
Philadelphia Chief Inspector Scott Small stated that the suspects fired at least four shots, fatally striking Bolaji in the head. The passenger was also hit multiple times — in the arm, leg and stomach — and remains in critical condition at a local hospital.
Despite his injuries, Bolaji attempted to drive away from the scene but crashed shortly after. Emergency personnel tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Described as a “loving partner and father,” Bolaji resided in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
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Authorities believe the shooting may have stemmed from an earlier altercation involving the passenger. “It appears that right before the shots were fired, there was some sort of physical altercation. It also appears that someone in that vehicle was targeted,” Small said.
The suspects fled in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with Massachusetts plates. The Philadelphia Police Department is now offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to their arrest.
Uber expressed condolences in a statement, saying, “Our hearts break for the driver’s family and loved ones in the wake of this devastating loss. We’ve reached out to police to offer our support as they work to bring those responsible for this heinous act of violence to justice.”
A family friend of the Uber driver told NBC10 Philadelphia that they were “heartbroken” and wanted “justice for the man who was senselessly murdered.”
