Nigeria First Female combat helicopter Pilot Tolulope Arotile who died on the 14th of July 2020 (24years old) at the Nigerian Airforce base in Kaduna, northwest, Nigeria.

She contributed significantly to combat operations against insecurity in the northern states of Nigeria.

Tolulope Arotile Biography

Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile is a Nigerian Helicopter Pilot, a trained military aviator, with a blend of professionalism and patriotism.

Early Life & Education

Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile was born on the 13 of December 1995 into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Akintunde Arotile in Kaduna state. She hails from Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

She attended Air force Primary School, Kaduna from 2000 – 2005 and Air Force Secondary School, Kaduna from 2006 – 2011, She later gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna as a member of 64 Regular Course on 22 September 2012 where she Obtained Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics.

Career

Tolulope was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a pilot officer on the 16th of September 2017 as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course 64.

On the 15th of October 2019, The Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar winged her as the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force after completing her flying training in South Africa. Barely two years in her career together with the first-ever female fighter pilot “Kafayat Sank”

Arotile had acquired 460 hours of flight in a helicopter which was an outstanding performance for a combat pilot. She saw action against the Boko Haram terrorists, and President Muhammadu Buhari paid tribute to her skill and bravery.

She held a commercial pilot license and also underwent tactical flying training on the Agusta 109 Power Attack Helicopter in Italy.

Dead

According to Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ibikunle Daramola, Flying Officer Arotile died on 14 July 2020 as a result of head injuries sustained in a road traffic accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna State, when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her.

She was buried on 23 July 2020 at the Military Cemetery, Airport Road, Abuja. The Nigerian Air Force revealed that no autopsy was carried out on her before she was buried because the circumstances surrounding her death were clear and there were witnesses who were present during the accident.

The force said that her family wanted to move on quickly and did not demand an autopsy, noting that the family was comfortable with the force’s investigation. The investigation was later transferred to the Nigeria Police Force on 24 July 2020.

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