Tolulope Arotile: Nigeria's First Female Combat Helicopter Pilot Was Mistakenly Killed By Her Schoolmate - NAF

IgbereTV reports that the Nigerian Air Force has revealed the circumstances which led to the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile. Arotile, 24, from Kogi state, died inside the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base in Kaduna on Tuesday, July 14.

A statement by NAF spokesman reveals: “Flying Officer Arotile died on 14 July 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.”

Before her death, Flying Officer Arotile made significant and outstanding contributions to the war against terrorism, armed banditry and other forms of criminality in the country, flying several combat missions.

Tolulope is Nigeria’s first-ever female combat helicopter pilot. She holds a commercial pilot license and also underwent tactical flying training on the Agusta 109 Power Attack Helicopter in Italy. She introduced the newly acquired Agusta 109 Power attack helicopter to President Muhammadu Buhari, during the induction ceremony at Eagle Square in Abuja in February 2020.

Late Arotile attended Air Force Primary School, Kaduna from 2000 – 2005 and Air Force Secondary School, Kaduna from 2006 – 2011 before she later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as a member of 64 Regular Course in September 2012. She was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a pilot officer in September 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Nigerian Defence Academy.