Breaking: First Nigeria Air Force Female Combat Pilot Dies

First Nigeria Air Force female combat pilot,  Tolulope Arotile is dead.

Naija News reports that the death of the Flying Officer was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday night by the Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.

According to the statement, Arotile was killed in an accident at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna state, northern Nigeria. She died as a result of head injuries she sustained from the accident at age 23.

This statement read, “It is with great sorrow that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died today, 14 July 2020, 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 hailed 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.

“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on behalf of officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF, commiserates with the family of late ‪Flying Officer Arotile‬ over this irreparable loss. We pray that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest,” the statement read.

NAF LOSES FLYING OFFICER TOLULOPE AROTILE IN ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN KADUNA

1/4. It is with great sorrow that the @NigAirForce regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on 14 July 2020, pic.twitter.com/huh0Ce5Tsl

— Nigerian Air Force (@NigAirForce) July 14, 2020