Family seeks justice 10 months after fighter pilot Arotile’s death

Family of the late Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile is searching for answers and seeking quick dispensation of justice in the case investigating the incident which led to the death of their daughter

It will be recalled that Arotile, 24  died in an accident on July 14, 2020, at the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) base in Kaduna .

The deceased father, Akintunde Arotile, while responding to questions during an interview conducted by Channels Television in Lokoja, Kogi State capital, on Saturday at an event organised by the Kogi state government and unveiling of a cinema movie project in Tolulope’s honour, said he is yet to heal over the sad incident and he is more disturbed by the prolonged case investigating her death.

According to him, his wife, mother to the late Tolulope, is more disturbed as she daily laments over the delayed case with justice yet to be served 10 months after.

He said, “We are trying as a family to put a closure to the whole thing particularly with the case that is still in court. Up till now, it has not been easy. If the case has been concluded we will try and see if we can put a closure to that chapter and we will just mourn her till maybe when I and my wife will die.

“But the case is still on. I don’t even know when the next hearing will be. My wife is so disturbed because of that.

“It’s like you have an open wound that is not healing. If the case is concluded, our minds will be at rest”.

Mr Arotile noted that if only justice can be served as soon as possible, their minds will be put to rest.

“To show that you cannot just kill a serving officer, a pilot in the Air Force Base premises and the case is being treated as nobody.

“You know our normal judicial service system, the case keeps dragging on…that is a problem for us,” he lamented further.

The NAF had earlier in July 2020 released its preliminary report on the death of Tolulope in a car accident at their base in Kaduna.

The Force in the report said that Ms Arotile was killed by her friend who mistakenly hit her with his vehicle.

“Upon recognising their schoolmate, Arotile, after passing her, Mr Adejoh, who was driving, reversed the vehicle, ostensibly in an attempt to quickly meet up with the deceased, who was walking in the opposite direction. In the process, the vehicle struck Flying Officer Arotile from the rear, knocking her down with significant force and causing her to hit her head on the pavement. The vehicle then ran over parts of her body as it veered off the road beyond the kerb and onto the pavement, causing her further injuries,” air force spokesperson, Ibikunle Daramola, said in a statement containing the report.

The air force after the release of the preliminary investigation handed over the suspects, which included Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho, and Festus Gbayegun to the NAF Base Kaduna.

The news of her death shook the nation, leaving many saddened by her demise at a prime age.

The NAF later immortalised Arotile in September by naming a Pilot’s Crew Room after her.