The Nigerian Airforce has disclosed the detail surrounding the death of the first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, who died in a road accident at the Nigerian Airforce base in Kaduna on Tuesday.
The 24 year old was said to have been hit inadvertently by a former Airforce secondary school classmate.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Com. Ibikunle Daramola revealed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. “Flying Officer Arotile died on July 14, 2020 at the age of 24, when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her. ”
The unnamed ex-classmate was reportedly reversing the car when it hit Arotile who fell and sustained injuries on the head. Arotile died while receiving treatments at the hospital she was taken to. Daramola explained that Arotile joined the Nigerian Air Force out of passion for the job.
Meanwhile the First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari has described the death of Arotile as “heartbreaking” Hajiya Buhari, in her twitter handle, @aishambuhari, said she received the news with a heavy heart.
The wife of the president commiserated with the family of Flying Officer Arotile, the Nigerian Airforce and the country over this irreparable loss.
She said: “the deceased was an intelligent young woman, a huge potential, a representative of both Nigerian women and youth, and what they could achieve.”
