Tolulope Arotile
Nigeria’s first ever and only female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile of the Nigerian Airforce has died.
Tolu died yesterday in a fatal car accident that occured in the Nigerian Airforce Base Kaduna, where she sustained severe head injuries.
She died shortly after this incident . Tolulope was winged as a combat helicopter pilot of the Airforce in 2019 after completing her course in South Africa.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information confirmed her death in a signed statement that read,
“The Nigerian Airforce has lost the only female helicopter combat pilot in the force and it is with great sorrow that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) regretfully announce the unfortunate demise of the Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile who died today, 14 July 2020, as a result of head injuries sustained from the road traffic accident at the NAF Base Kaduna”
“Until her death, Flying Officer Arotile, who was commissioned into NAF in September 2017 as a member off the 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 hails from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, contributed significantly to the efforts to rid the Nort Central States of armed bandits and other criminal elements by flying several combat missions under Operation GAMA AIKI in Niger State”
“ The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadie Abubakar, on behalf of officers, airman, airwoman and civilian staff of the NAF, commiserates with the family of the late Flying Officer Arotile over this irreparable loss. We pray the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest’