Five years after the death of the first female combat helicopter Pilot in Nigeria, late Tolulope Arotile, her father Arotile, says he is not satisfied with the way and manner authorities of the Female Combat handled the case tied to the death of his daughter.
Pa Arotile said this during a thanksgiving memorial service at the Methodist Church in Lokoja to mark the 5th year remembrance of late Tolulope who died after she passed in active service in the Nigeria Air Force.
Tolulope Arotile, a Flying Officer in the Nigerian Air Force was born on December 13, 1995, in Kaduna and she was Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot.
Late Tolulope Arotile was winged as Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot on October 15, 2019 and she flew combat missions against Boko Haram terrorists and received commendations from President Muhammadu Buhari for her bravery and skill.
Tolulope Arotile died on July 14, 2020, aged 24, due to head injuries from an accident at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna involving a reversing vehicle driven by a former classmate.
Immediately after the incident, groups like Afenifere and Apapo O’odua Koya questioned the official explanation of the accident and demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances of Arotile’s death, with some describing it as “suspicious.”
The case was in court as of July 2021, with Arotile’s sister seeking justice.
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Five years on, late Tolulope’s Parents, families and friends gathered at the Methodist Church in Lokoja for a thanksgiving memorial service.
Late Tolulope’s father, Arotile, says he is still not satisfied with the way and manner authorities of the Nigerian Air Force handled the case tied to the death of his daughter who contributed significantly to combat operations against insurgency in northern Nigeria.
Arotile and other family members however expressed gratitude to God for the impact their late daughter made in the few years she lived on earth.
In his message during the memorial service, Prophet Michael Lawal Spoke about Late Tolulope as a lover of God, and the impactful contribution she made in the country fighting terrorism as a pilot of a combat jet.
Prophet Michael Lawal therefore encouraged young ladies who are idle to learn from the legacy the late Tolulope left behind and become something useful for the country.
(Editor : Ena Agbanoma)
