Nigeria’s first-ever female combat helicopter pilot has died from injuries sustained in a road accident, the Nigerian Air Force has announced.
Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile died on Tuesday. The road accident occurred at an air force base in Kaduna state, although the date it happened was not specified.
She was commissioned into the air force in September 2017.
The Nigerian Air Force tweeted, “It is with great sorrow that the @NigAirForce regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, who died on 14 July 2020, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.
“Until her death, Fg Offr Arotile, who was commissioned into the NAF in Sept 2017 as a member of @HQ_NDA RC 64, was the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Service.
“During her short but impactful stay in the Service, late Arotile, 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.
“On behalf officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the NAF commiserates with the family of late Flying Officer Arotile over this irreparable loss.”
NAF prayed that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest.
