In an attempt to reverse to meet up with Arotile who was walking in the opposite direction in the process, the vehicle strucked the deceased from the rear, knocking her down with significant force and causing her to hit her head on the pavement.
In what was considered as questionable circumstances, regarding the demise of flying officer Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria Air Force first female combat helicopter pilot who died on the 14th of July 2020. The Air Force says it will not join issues with those in some quarter who have alleged fowl play and chosen to tow the path of sentiments regarding Arotile’s death as there is no form of truth in any of the allegations.
The Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola while briefing newsmen in Abuja on the preliminary investigation report on the death of flying officer Tolulope Arotile said it would have been ideal for the entire investigation to be concluded before details on the incident are released, but the Air Force, sensitivity to public concerns occasioned by the spread of false information, justifies the need to clear the air, just as he noted, that the Arotile family are in the know of the details brought to public knowledge.
Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho and Festus Gbayegun, former classmates of late Arotile, all civilians and indigenes of Kogi State, were said to be on their way to visit one Misus Chioma Ugwu, wife of Squadron Leader Chukwuemeka Ugwu, residing at Ekagbo Quarters on the Base are the three suspects connected to the death of officer Arotile.
They are currently in detention at the Air Provost Wing, 453 Base Services finding also revealed that Nehemiah Adejo the driver of the vehicle, , did not have a valid driver’s license.
“Upon recognizing their schoolmate, Arotile, after passing her, Mr Adejoh, who was driving, reversed the vehicle, she was returning from the mami market, on the same side of the road, facing onward traffic and they passed her and realized she was their former school mate. In an attempt to reverse to meet up with Arotile who was walking in the opposite direction in the process the vehicle strucked the deceased 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 rushed to the 461 NAF Hospital Kaduna for treatment, while Folorunsho one of the occupants of the vehicle, 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 three suspects currently in detention were subjected to Toxicology Tests but no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances were found in their systems.
The Late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, was Squadron Pilot at the 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group Enugu, attached to the Air Component of Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, had just completed her Promotion Examinations and was in Kaduna awaiting deployment for her next assignment.
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, who According to the Air Force 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 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 unfortunate and untimely death“. Air Commodore Daramola said
The Air Force Spokesman explained that 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 drove past her in a Kia Sorento SUV, with Registration Number AZ 478 MKA”.
Air Commodore Daramola expressed displeasure at some of the reactions that have trailed the demise of the officer. Saying many have chosen to politicize her death, while others are using the incident to push meritless, misguided ethnic and religious agendas.
Daramola said…
“It is ludicrous for anyone to even remotely insinuate malevolent intent on the part of the Service against one of its most prized assets. It is of absolute importance that the memory of this Fallen Hero and our precious child is not tainted by the propagation of misplaced sentiments and wild shenanigans“.
Traffic Officers from the Kawo Police Station and the Kaduna State Police Command as well as Road Traffic experts from the Federal Road Safety Corp were reportedly called in to provide support during the investigation.
The time frame of when the details of full investigations will be out depends on the investigators. However the Air Force and the Police will work together to proffer the appropriate charges.
