The Nigerian Air force (NAF) has announced the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on Tuesday 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, late Arotile, who hails from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, 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.
According to a statement by Air commodore Ibikunle Daramola, spokesperson of the Force, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, commiserated with the family of late Flying Officer Arotile over the “irreparable loss.”
“We pray that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest”, he said.
