Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria, is dead.
She was barely 23 years of age.
Arotile died as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base Kaduna.
Her death came barely a year after she was winged as a combat helicopter pilot in the Air Force following the completion of her course in South Africa.
Her demise was confirmed by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.
The statement reads, ”It is with great sorrow that the Nigeria AirForce regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on 14 July 2020, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna. Until her death, Fg Offr Arotile, who was commissioned into the NAF in Sept 2017 as a member of Nigeria 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, 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 Air Staff Sadique Abubakar on behalf 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.”
See pictures below:
Arotile with CAS S. Abubakar
