… wonders how a ‘stop and greet’ could be so fatal
The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on Thursday, called for a coroner inquest into the death of the late flying officer, Tolulope Arotile.
Arotile died on Wednesday, 14 July 2020, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at the NAF Base Kaduna, the Nigerian Airforce had said.
In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said the Air Force did not tell Nigerians the whole truth surrounding the death of the the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria.
The group said it could not accept that her death was an accident, wondering how a supposed attempt to stop and greet could come with a deadly impact.
The statement said, “Nigeria the demented chicken sucked one of its finest eggs yet again with the killing of flying officer Tolulope Arotile on the road in Kaduna on Tuesday. A statement by the Nigerian Air Force told some truth that she died but spewed some untruth in saying that: ‘it is with great sorrow that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) regretfully announces the unfortunate demise of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile who died today, 14 July 2020, as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at NAF Base Kaduna.’
“It was only eyewitness accounts that unofficially released that it was a colleague of hers who reversed his car to knock her down on the road.”
Afenifere recalled that 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.
It said, “During her short but impactful stay in the Service, 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.
“Unofficial accounts say she just returned from a combat operation before she was knocked down to death. We, therefore, do not accept that her death was an accident until the report of a coroner says how she died and how a supposed attempt to stop and greet could come with a deadly impact.
“We say this against what is known of the infiltration of the forces by sympathisers and agents of Boko Haram.
“We recall the report years back of such agents revealing the routes and timing of movements of our troops to Boko Haram who ambushed them. The inquiry should look into all the links of the colleague who killed her and we must know the identity.
“Meanwhile, we sympathise with the grieving family of Tolulope who has been thrown into deep mourning following the killing of their daughter not in combat but within the barrack. May her soul rest in peace.”
Meanwhile, a pan Yoruba group, Apapo O’odua Koya, (AOKOYA), made up of 18 Yoruba groups, has alleged that there is more to the death of the late flying officer, Arotile, than has been offered by the Nigerian authorities.
In a statement on Tuesday, AOKOYA called on the international community to investigate the death of Arotile, who was the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in Nigeria, insinuating that she might have been murdered.
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The group wants an independent investigation into the sudden death.
Tributes have continued to pour in after Arotile, 24, was killed in a freak car accident on Tuesday.
She died of head injuries after a former school friend accidentally reversed into her while she was trying to greet her, the Air Force had said in a statement.
President Muhammadu Buharu said he received the news with great pain and saluted her bravery on the field, saying her memory would be indelible.
“We have very strong reasons to assume that Tolulope Arotile was murdered. We are aware she had altercations with top military commanders before her death and some hated her to tilt for her brilliance and exploit against Boko Haram and bandits,” the group said.
