NAF Loses First Ever Female Combat Helicopter Pilot

The Nigerian Air Force has lost its first ever female combat Pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday night by Ibikunle Daramola, Air Commodore Director of Public Relations and Information, Arotile died on Tuesday, 14th July as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.‬

Daramola said the deceased was commissioned into the NAF in September 2017 as a member of Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course 64.

He said the late Arotile who hails 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 NAF spokesman said “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.”