The Nigeria Air Force (NAF), on Sunday, said it is handing over Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile’s case and the three suspects involved in her death to the Nigeria police for further investigation and prosecution.
On 14 July, the entire nation was thrown into mourning as a result of the death of Arotile, the NAF’s first female combat helicopter pilot. The Force said she died from head injuries sustained from a traffic accident.
Ibikunle Daramola, Director of public Relations and Information (DOPRI) , while briefing journalists on Sunday on the preliminary investigation report on the death of the flying officer, said Arotile’s death was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and significant bleeding resulting from the car crash caused by her secondary school mates.
Daramola, said the trio of Messrs Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho and Festus Gbayegun, involved in the auto crash are being detained at the Air Provost Wing, 453 Base Services Group, Kaduna and will soon be charged to court.
He informed that the suspects have been 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, Nehemiah Adejo, did not have a valid driver’s license”, he said.
Daramola revealed that 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, while responding to allegations of ‘foul play’ in the late officer’s death, said Arotile was a pride of the NAF in whom the Service had invested massively in terms of resources, time and energy. He described as ludicrous for anyone to insinuate malevolent intent on the part of the Service against one of its “most prized assets.”
“Furthermore, it is extremely sad and disheartening that, rather than allow the Arotile Family and the Nigerian Air Force to grieve for our dearly departed Tolulope in peace, many have chosen to politicize her death, while others are using the incident to push meritless, misguided ethnic and religious agendas.
“The Nigerian Air Force wishes to implore everyone to respect the sensibilities of all those who have suffered most by this loss, those who really knew Tolulope – her family, her friends and her Nigerian Air Force colleagues. 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, he added.
He however clarified circumstances that led to her death.
“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, 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, 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; Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho and 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 Chioma Ugwu, wife of Squadron Leader Chukwuemeka Ugwu, who lives at Ekagbo Quarters on the Base.
“Upon recognising their schoolmate, Arotile, after passing her, 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 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”, he explained.
