The death of the Nigeria’s first and only female Helicopter Combat Pilot, Tolulope Arotile came as a rude shock.
Arotile was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force last year 2019, 10 months ago as the first and only female Helicopter Combat Pilot by Air Marshal Abubakar.
In a condolence statement by Air Marshal Abubakar on the official Twitter Page of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Wednesday monitored by SOJ WORLDWIDE ONLINE NEWS reporter, Abubakar said, Tolulope was “intelligent, disciplined, confident and courageous young officer who added value to where ever she served.”
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Full Statement:
“I was heart broken when I received the sad news of the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile yesterday in Kaduna. Tolulope, who was winged in October 2019, as the first female @NigAirForce combat helicopter pilot, was one of our shining young stars.”
“She was a very intelligent, disciplined, confident & courageous young officer who added value wherever she served. As a squadron pilot in Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, Niger State, she flew her quota of anti-banditry combat missions to ensure a safer, more secured Nigeria.”
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“I recall meeting her at the Minna Airport, while on operational visit, after one of such missions & seeing her eagerness to contribute towards the restoration of lasting peace to the affected areas. Her death is a huge loss to @NigAirForce family & indeed the entire Nation.”
“On behalf officers, airmen, airwomen & civilian staff of @NigAirForce, I once more condole with the family of late Flying Officer Arotile over this irreparable loss & sincerely pray that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest.”
According to the Press Release by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunke Daramola, the deceased who hailed from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi ” died on14 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..”
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“She 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.”
Another account of her sudden death had it that Tolulope Arotile died as a result of head injuries.
Jeff Friday on his Facebook statement in the KOGI STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS NEWSLINE GROUP said,
“According to my friend in the military base.
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” This very accident happen in our base in kaduna, the deceased officer came to kaduna for a pass in while one of our course mate was trying to reverse his car he mistakenly hit her and that lead to her untimely death.”
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