Nigerian Air force’s first female combatant helicopter pilot dies (photo)

[Edoman]

Nigerian Air force’s first female combatant helicopter pilot dies eight months after special recognition







Tolulope Arotile, the first female helicopter pilot in the history of the Nigerian Air Force has died 8 months after she was given a special recognition. 
 

Arotile who was decorated alongside Kafayat Sanni, the first female fighter pilot, by Sadique Abubakar, chief of air staff diedOn Tuesday July 14, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna state.
 

The military officer who had just ended a programme at the Starlite International Training Academy in South Africa, did not recover from the injuries sustained in the accident.
 

 
A statement released by the Nigerian Air Force read; 
 

“It is with great sorrow that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died today, 14 July 2020, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna. 


“Until her death, ?Flying Officer Arotile, who was commissioned into the NAF in September 2017 as a member of Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course 64, was the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Service.?


During her short but impactful stay in the Service, late Arotile, who hailed from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, contributed significantly to the efforts to rid the North Central States of armed bandits and other criminal elements by flying several combat missions under Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, Niger State.


“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on behalf of officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF, commiserates with the family of late ?Flying Officer Arotile? over this irreparable loss. We pray that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest.”

[Edoman]

Tolulope Arotile Was Mistakenly Killed By Her Ex Schoolmate - NAF

FLYING OFFICER TOLULOPE OLUWATOYIN SARAH AROTILE - (1995 - 2020)

Born on 13 December 1995 to the family of Mr and Mrs Akintunde Arotile in Kaduna, Flying Officer Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile, hails from Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

She attended Air Force Primary School, Kaduna from 2000 - 2005 and Air Force Secondary School, Kaduna from 2006 - 2011 before she later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as a member of 64 Regular Course on 22 September 2012. Flying Officer Arotile was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 16 September 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Flying Officer Arotile was winged as the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force on 15 October 2019, after completing her flying training in South Africa. She holds a commercial pilot license and also underwent tactical flying training on the Agusta 109 Power Attack Helicopter in Italy. Incidentally, she introduced the newly acquired Agusta 109 Power Attack Helicopter to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, during the induction ceremony at Eagle Square in Abuja on 6 February 2020.

Flying Officer Arotile died on 14 July 2020 at the age of 24, when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her.

Before her untimely death, Flying Officer Arotile made significant and outstanding contributions to the war against terrorism, armed banditry and other forms of criminality in the Country, flying several combat missions. Flying Officer Arotile joined the Nigerian Air Force out of passion for the job. In her words “I joined the military simply out of passion for it. Being a military personnel has been a long time ambition, the carriage and what it stands for are simply exceptional”.

Gone too soon like a candle in the wind, she will be greatly missed by the entire Nigerian Air Force family. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on behalf officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the Service, consoles with the family of late ‪Flying Officer Arotile‬ over this irreparable loss. May her gentle soul continue to Rest In Peace.

IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force
15 July 2020

https://www.facebook.com/1684425015103776/posts/2647154522164149/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSTRc9QFqbg

[Edoman]

I spoke with her at 1pm but at 5pm, I was told she was in mortuary – Father of Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, speaks on their last moments







Mr. Akintunde Arotile, father of Nigeria's first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope, who died on Tuesday, July 14, has recounted the last conversation he had with her.
 
Tolulope, 25, died as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.  
 

 
Speaking in an interview with Sahara Reporters, her devastated father said he called her on the phone on Tuesday July 14, at about 1:00pm on her return from an operation against bandits in Katsina State, and by 5pm, he was informed that she had died and was in the mortuary. 
 

"She told me that she will later go out to make some photocopies and I told her not to be long and to return home on time because she was staying with my first daughter in Kaduna.



Around 5:30pm, somebody called me and asked if I had called her and I said yes. The person told me to call her again which I did, but there was no response. So, I called her colleagues and they were all crying on phone.


I asked what happened, they were just crying. I called one of her bosses who told me that she was in the mortuary. I was shocked because said she was somebody I spoke with four hours earlier and by 5:00pm she was in the mortuary."  he said

 
The bereaved father added that he had to drive to Lokoja, Kogi State, from Abuja to inform his wife about the unfortunate incident.
 

 
Recalling the early days of Tolulope who was his fourth child, Mr. Akotile said she had always wanted to be a pilot and that he thanked God she fulfilled her dream before she died.
 

"She has not just been brilliant but wonderful. She did all her Education from kindergarten to nursery at the Air Force base and Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna. One day, when she was very small, she pointed to one small aircraft packed on the field and said one day she was going to fly that aircraft, and I said Amen.


So, from that day she started working towards getting admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy Kaduna. She had a degree in Mathematics and became an Air Force Cadet. From there, she was sent on several courses abroad and became a pilot. I thank God that she was able to achieve her dreams as a baby before her death" he said

 

[Edoman]

We are not convinced Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident, we demand an investigation - Sister of Nigeria's first combat pilot speaks







Damilola Adegboye, the immediate elder sister of Tolulope Akosile, the first female combat helicopter pilot in the history of Nigerian Air Force who died on Tuesday, July 14, says the family isn't convinced she died in a freak accident and is demanding a full-scale investigation into the cause of the accident.
 
The Nigeria Air Force had released a statement saying Tolulope, 25, died when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her. Tolulope allegedly sustained head injuries that led to her death.
 
Adegboye who spoke with Punch, wondered how the reverse of a vehicle could kill a person in such a manner.
 

“We in the family are not convinced that Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigation, we want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.”

 
She said on the day of the incident, she and Arotile were sleeping in a room before she received a call.

“A call came into her phone which she picked but from the way they spoke, I knew the caller must be a senior officer calling her to come to Airforce base. She felt reluctant and I offered to drop her off.
One hour later, I read online that something serious had happened to her. I couldn’t believe that somebody I just dropped off is dead,” she explained.

 
Also speaking, the mother of Arotile went down memory lane about how she gave birth to her describing her as a special child adding that fasting and prayer was her hobby.
 

[Edoman]

Gani Adams: Tolulope Arotile's Death Looks Suspicious To Me 

Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, has urged the Federal Government to properly investigate the death of Nigeria’s first female combat Helicopter Pilot, Tolulope Arotile, saying the death was suspicious.

Adams, in a statement on Thursday, by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, described the late Arotile’s death as a personal loss, especially, to the Yorubas.

While condoling with the family of the deceased, Adams also urged the International Community, the United Nation,European Union, United States and Britain to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the young and promising girl.

“Nigeria has lost one of its best brains in the military in such a suspicious circumstances. The late Tolulope Arotile’s short span in life was remarkable with a track record of being the first female combat helicopter pilot. The best we can do as a nation is to get to the root of the circumstances culminating in her death”

“As far as I am concerned, reports of her death still remained suspicious to me because her death has raised many questions”

“How would such a promising, young girl be killed by a reversing car within the premises of the barrack? Who drove the car? What was his or her name? Where was the suspected killer at the moment? And what is the present situation? We will like to know, and that is why I am charging the International Community to investigate and look into the circumstances surrounding her death”

Adams, however,said the death of such a promising, young girl has exposed the nation as a country that never values the lives of its citizens, especially, the best and exceptional citizens”

“I take an exception to believe the story surrounding her gruesome murder. Her achievements speak volumes and many in the system may see her rising profile as a threat to the establishment,mostly with her passion towards ending the threats of the dreaded Boko Haram and bandits terrorising the North-west and the rest of the country”.

” I feel the pain of a father whose daughter’s shining light went dim unexpectedly.The sadness of losing a promising girl like Totulope was eternal to her family, because of her talents and dedication to duty, so it should not go the usual way, where our best brains died without any investigation being carried out”

“Tolu’s father said he spoke with his daughter, by 1pm and by 5pm, a few hours later she was reportedly killed by a reversing car and was in the mortuary.That story needs to be investigated because her case is one out of the many deaths of great Nigerians that made positive impacts toward making Nigeria great, and that is one of the reasons people of excellent and exceptional brains find it difficult to serve the country,and they are all over the world doing great”

” I have traveled across the world,and I see many Nigerians doing wonderfully well in their respective disciplines, but they always feel reluctant to come back home,because of the way we treat our best brains, I think this is too bad for the development of our nation. More so, I share in the grief of the family as I pray God to give the family the fortitude to bear the loss”. He said.

https://www.independent.ng/arotile-gani-adams-calls-for-proper-investigation-says-death-suspicious/

[Edoman]

Flying officer, Tolulope Arotile, to be buried on Thursday July 23







The remains of late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF’s) first female combat helicopter pilot, who died on 14 July 2020, will be laid to rest with full military honours at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja on Thursday, July 23.
 
This was disclosed in a statement released by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.
 
Tolulope died in an accident in Kaduna state.
 
 

[Edoman]

Classmate who knocked down Nigeria's first female combat helicopter pilot Tolulope Arotile has no driver's license







The secondary school classmate who knocked down Tolulope Arotile, first female combat helicopter pilot of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) with a car reportedly “has no driver’s licence”. 
 
LIB reported earlier that Arotile died from head injuries she sustained after being knocked down by a car driven by her old classmate at the Kaduna NAF base.
 
Military sources who spoke to Channels Television, said the civilian driver accompanied by his friends, visited his relations at the Airforce base located in Mando area of Kaduna metropolis on that fateful day and decided to drop off the late Airforce Pilot whom he spotted on the road inside the base.
 
However while reversing the car, he knocked down Arotile. Upon being taken in for questioning, it was discovered that he had no valid driver’s license.
 
This is coming after Damilola Adegboye, Arotile’s immediate elder sister demanded a probe into her death.

[Edoman]

Air force unveils identity of classmate who knocked down Arotile, shares details of investigation







The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has unveiled the identity of the secondary school classmate who knocked down Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot.
 
Ibikunle Daramola, air force spokesman gave the name of the man as Nehemiah Adejoh and also disclosed that he and two other civilians were at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna to visit the wife of a squadron leader.
 
He further revealed that Tolulope Arotile was awaiting deployment for her next assignment when the sad incident occurred. 
 
The full statement reads; 
 

“The Late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, a Squadron Pilot at the 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group (405 HCTG) Enugu, attached to the Air Component of Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, having recently completed her Promotion Examinations, was in Kaduna awaiting deployment for her next assignment.

During this period, she stayed with her sister, Mrs Damilola Adegboye, at Sabo Area in Kaduna, visiting the NAF Base whenever necessary.


“On 14 July 2020 at about 10.55am, Late Flying Officer Arotile received a phone call from her colleague, Flying Officer Perry Karimo, a fellow helicopter pilot from the 405 HCTG, who wanted to discuss arrangements for their return to Enugu, requesting that she comes to the Base so that they could work out the modalities. Subsequently, at about
10.58am, the Late Arotile placed a call through to Squadron Leader Diepiriye Batubo, the Group Operations Officer (GOO) of 405 HCTG, who was in Minna at the time, to clarify issues regarding her deployment.

It must be highlighted that the call FROM Flying Officer Karimo as well as the one TO the Squadron Leader Batubo both took place before 11.00am, over 5 hours before the incident which led to her death.


“Flying Officer Arotile was later conveyed from Sabo to the NAF Base Kaduna by her sister, Mrs Adegboye, where the Deceased dropped her phone for charging at a house in the Instructor Pilots’ Quarters belonging to Squadron Leader Alfa Ekele. Her elder sister later dropped her off at the Base Mammy Market at about 4.00pm, where she proceeded to photocopy and laminate some documents.


“It was while she was returning from the Mammy Market at about 4.30pm that 3 of her former schoolmates at the Air Force Secondary School (now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna; Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun, drove past her in a Kia Sorento SUV, with Registration Number AZ 478 MKA. 


“It is noteworthy that Messrs Adejoh, Folorunsho and Gbayegun are all civilians who live outside NAF Base Kaduna, but were on their way to visit one Mrs Chioma Ugwu, wife of Squadron Leader Chukwuemeka Ugwu, who lives at Ekagbo Quarters on the Base.


“Upon recognising their schoolmate, Arotile, after passing her, Mr Adejoh, who was driving, reversed the vehicle, ostensibly in an attempt to quickly meet up with the Deceased, who was walking in the opposite direction. In the process, the vehicle struck Flying Officer Arotile from the rear, knocking her down with significant force and causing her to hit her head on the pavement.


The vehicle then ran over parts of her body as it veered off the road beyond the kerb and onto the pavement, causing her further injuries.


“Flying Officer Arotile was subsequently rushed to the 461 NAF Hospital Kaduna for treatment, while Mr Folorunsho (one of the occupants of the vehicle) who is also an Accident & Emergency Nurse at the St Gerard Catholic Hospital Kaduna, administered First Aid.


“Flying Officer Arotile was confirmed dead by the On-Call Doctor at the 461 NAF Hospital at about 4.45pm on 14 July 2020, as a result of the head injuries.


“The trio of Messrs Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho and Festus Gbayegun were immediately detained at the Air Provost Wing, 453 Base Services Group Kaduna as investigations began.

They were subjected to Toxicology Tests at the 461 NAF Hospital but no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances were found in their systems. It was however discovered that the driver of the vehicle, Mr Nehemiah Adejo, did not have a valid driver’s license.


“Having carefully considered the foregoing, the preliminary investigation concluded that: The death of Flying Officer Arotile was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and significant bleeding resulting from being struck by the vehicle."

 
Daramola affirmed that the case would be transferred to the police for further investigation.

by

[Edoman]

Burial Of Tolulope Arotile (Photos, Video)

��Nigeria’s first female helicopter combat pilot, Flight Officer Tolulope Arotile, has been laid to rest at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja, Nigeria.

� MAY THE SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE. AMEN ���


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnpoCYEtk4w

Tears and emotions flowed on Thursday as the remains of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile were laid to rest at the military cemetery on Airport Road, Abuja.

An ambulance belonging to the Nigerian Air Force with registration number AF 442, had brought in the body.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and his wife; the House Committee Chairman on Air Force, Bala Ib’n Nalla and the family members of the deceased were there to pay their last respects.

The country was thrown into mourning last week Tuesday when the Nigerian Air Force first announced that the country’s first female combat helicopter pilot died from a road traffic accident at the NAF base in Kaduna State.

The air force said the female officer sustained head injuries from the accident when she was “inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force secondary school classmate while trying to greet her.”

NAF said Arotile was hit by an ex-classmate, Nehemiah Adejoh, who had no valid driver’s licence, noting that the matter, being a civil case, would be transferred to the Nigeria Police Force.

https://punchng.com/updated-tears-as-arotile-laid-to-rest-in-abuja/?amp=1

[Edoman]

Tribute To Tolulope Arotile, By Goodluck Jonathan 

My heart goes out to the family and colleagues of late flying officer, Tolulope Arotile.

She was a brave patriot who pushed her self beyond limits to demonstrate her uncommon love for our dear nation. In the process, she made us all proud.

In 2011 when my administration introduced females into the Nigeria Defence Academy to train as combatants, for the first time, it was to give equal opportunities to all men and women of the armed forces and encourage highly driven female officers like Tolulope to excel in her chosen career, irrespective of their gender.

I feel sad that such a young gallant officer would die at the prime of her life. I am however encouraged by the fact that she stood out as a pleasing fulfilment of our dream of an all-embracing Nigeria armed forces devoid of discrimination.

By dedicating her young life to protect and defend Nigeria's strength, honour and unity, her memory and legacy will continue to serve as a great inspiration to our youth especially our girls.

May God grant her soul eternal rest.

Signed
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
Former President of Federal Republic of Nigeria

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