The Demise of a Sky Warrior: NAF loses Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile in Road Traffic ACCIDENT in KADUNA

In a Statement released by the Director Of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air force (NAF); Ibikunle Daramola ( Air commodore) on the 14th of July 2020, the unfortunate demise of flying officer Tolulope Arotile was announced.

The flying officer died on the 14th of July 2020 at the age of 24 as as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.

She was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her.

I joined the military simply out of passion for it. Being a military personnel has been a long time ambition, the carriage and what it stands for are simply exceptional

Flying Officer Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile

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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 glorious stay in the Service, late Arotile, who hails from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, contributed immensely 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 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” said the PRO Air Commodore Daramola.

Flying Officer Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile – (1995 – 2020)

BIOGRAPHY: Late Arotile was born on the 13th of December 1995 into the family of Mr and Mrs Akintunde Arotile in Kaduna. She hails from Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

She was commissioned into Nigerian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 16 September 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Flying Officer Arotile was winged as the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force on 15 October 2019, after completing her flying training in South Africa.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar offers his condolences to the family of the bereaved on behalf of the officers, airmen, airwomen and civilian staff of the Service.

May her gentle soul continue to Rest In Peace.

The great Sky Warrior – Flying Officer Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile