Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile (13 December 1995 – 14 July 2020) was the first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force.
She contributed significantly to combat operations against insecurity in the northern states of Nigeria. Arotile died from a head injury sustained in an accident at the Nigerian Air Force base in Kaduna state on 14 July 2020.
Arotile (from Iffe in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State) and his wife in Kaduna State, Arotile attended the Air Force Primary School, Kaduna, from 2000 to 2005 and the Air Force Secondary School, Kaduna, from 2005 to 2011, before she gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, as a member of 64 Regular Course on 22 September 2012. Arotile was commissioned into the Nigerian Air Force as a pilot officer on 16 September 2017 and held a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the Nigerian Defence Academy. She was winged as the first ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigerian Air Force on 15 October 2019 (together with the first female fighter pilot, Kafayat Sank) after completing her flying training in South Africa. Two years into her career, Arotile had acquired 460 hours of helicopter flight, which was an outstanding performance for a combat pilot. She saw action against the Boko Haram terrorists, and President Muhammadu Buhari paid tribute to her skill and bravery. In the fight against ISIS, she was called effective, deadly and "fearless"
Arotile held a commercial pilot licence and also underwent tactical flying training on the Agusta 109 Power attack helicopter in Italy
According to Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ibikunle Daramola, Arotile died on 14 July 2020 as a result of head injuries sustained in a road traffic accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna State, when she was inadvertently hit by the vehicle of a former Air Force Secondary School classmate who was trying to greet her. The way the accident occurred prompted a call for investigation from Nigerians. Others called it "suspicious".
She was buried on 23 July 2020 at the Military Cemetery, Airport Road, Abuja. The Nigerian Air Force revealed that no autopsy was carried out on her before she was buried, because the circumstances surrounding her death were clear, and there were witnesses who were present during the accident. The force said that her family wanted to move on quickly and did not demand an autopsy, noting that the family were comfortable with the force's investigation. The investigation was later transferred to the Nigeria Police Force on 24 July 2020.
She was leading a major onslaught against bandits and armed Islamic fundamentalists in the North.
It was believed that her sorties led to the deaths of several militants and bandits. It was also gathered that her last operation was in the North-central states tagged “Operation Gama Aiki in Minna, Niger State where despite rockets fired at her, she succeeded in killing many bandits and fundamentalists.
Then to the consternation of many Nigerians, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, the sad news broke that the 24-year-old combatant had died.
The initial information many Nigerians got when the said news broke was that Arotile died as a result of head injuries sustained from a road traffic accident at the NAF Base in Kaduna. While they were still wondering how the deceased could have deliberately driven herself to death in the base or who could have driven a car on top speed in the base to cause her death, a statement by NAF opened a floodgate of suspicions.
“Flying Officer Arotile died on July 14, 2020 at the age of 24, when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her. Before her untimely death, Flying Officer Arotile made significant and outstanding contributions to the war against terrorism, armed banditry and other forms of criminality in the country, flying several combat missions,” the statement read.
The circumstances of Arotile’s death have raises many questions: Who could have wanted her dead? Or who could have sneaked into the base and murdered her?
This is why many family members and observers and who read the NAF’s statement on the cause of death of the young officer, are not buying the statement. They feel that there is more to death than meet the eyes, adding that the air force certainly has more questions to answer concerning her death.
For instance, those familiar with the Air Force Base said with the number of speed breakers on the roads and their heights, it would be extremely difficult for a car to knock anyone down in the barracks. They wondered what happened to the driver of the car, his or her name and where the suspected killer is at the moment?
Many are wondering if the bandits or Boko Haram members she had seriously battled in combat operations or their agents in military uniform could have engineered the murder the 24-year-old officer who made significant and outstanding contributions to the war against terrorism, armed banditry and other forms of criminality in the country.
One of such persons who is not convinced by the statement from the NAF is her immediate elder sister, Damilola Adegboye. She is demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her sister’s death. First, she wondered how the reverse of a vehicle could kill a person in such manner.
“We in the family are not convinced that Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigation, we want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.”
She said on the day of the incident, Arotile and herself were in the room where she was sleeping
“a call came into her phone which she picked but from the way they spoke, I knew the caller must be a senior officer calling her to come to Air Force base. She felt reluctant and I offered to drop her off. One hour later, I read online that something serious had happened to her. I couldn’t believe that somebody I just dropped off is dead,” she explained.
Last Friday, the NAF released a statement saying that Arotile would be buried on July 23 in Abuja with full military compliment. But before that is done, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights, lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the suspension of all burial plans until the conclusion of the investigations into her death.
Adegboruwa posed 10 questions which the air force must answer due to its inconsistent stories that has not helped to douse the suspicions.
The SAN asked: “Who drove the car? Where did the accident happen? Where was Arotile going to? A reversing car means it had passed her, so was she trekking? Was she blindfolded not to see the reversing car to escape? Were her legs tied? What kind of medical treatment did she receive? In which hospital was she treated? Who called her out from her rest after a successful air combat on bandits? Why are there inconsistent statements from the Nigerian Air Force, being released in bits and pieces?”
Also, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere and the World Yoruba Congress (WYC) have joined in calling on the federal government to thoroughly investigate the “gruesome murder” of Arotile, saying her death is suspicious.
Adams, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, said he is taking lightly the NAF explanation that a reversing car killed combat pilot Arotile.
“The best we can do as a nation is to get to the root of the circumstances culminating in her death. As far as I am concerned, reports of her death remained suspicious to me because her death has raised many questions.
“How would such a promising, young girl be killed by a reversing car within the premises of the barrack? Who drove the car? What was his or her name? Where was the suspected killer at the moment? And what is the present situation? We will like to know, and that is why I am charging the international community to investigate and look into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Similarly, Afenifere while expressing shock over the death of Arotile, called for a coroner inquest into her death. In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said it was not satisfied with the explanation given for the cause of her death.
The statement read: “We 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.”
On its part, the Yoruba World Congress (WYC) called for a thorough and transparent investigation of the accident. A statement by its President, Prof. Banji Akintoye, said: “The WYC calls for a thorough and transparent investigation of the accident.”
Another pro-Yoruba group, Apapo O’odua Koya (AOKOYA), has equally said the least it expects from Arotile’s death is an independent enquiry. It added that the theory that she died in a motor accident inside the Air Force Base is a cock and bull story and doubtful.
In a statement it released at the weekend and signed by Captain Abigo Oritsebugbemi (rtd) and its Middle Belt Coordinator, Akeem Meduna, the group said: “We want full investigation into this suspicious death. We find it difficult to believe the story based on the information at our disposal. How can she have died in a traffic accident right inside the Air Force Base in Kaduna?
“We have made preliminary findings and all officers who spoke to us could not understand how that could have happened. One officer, her colleague in Kaduna specifically said the case of murder was the strongest motive. There must be an independent enquiry for anyone to be convinced Tolulope Arotile was not murdered. We have been informed that their agents and supporters in the military marked her and only succeeded in setting a trap for her.”
Also, the Joint National Action Civil Society Coalition called on the federal government, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the Nigerian Police, to undertake a thorough investigation, including commissioning a coroner’s inquest into her death. The group which is the umbrella body of 10 associations, said given the strategic importance of her position to national security, and the various versions of how her death occurred, it was not impossible that she was murdered.
“Given the strategic importance of her position to national security, and the various versions of how her death occurred that have emerged in the public domain, we call on the federal government, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and the Nigerian Police, to undertake a thorough investigation, including commissioning a coroner’s inquest into her death.
“Considering her crucial role in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria, it must be taken into consideration that the flying officer may have been a target of criminal elements for reasons best known to them. It must also be recalled that since Nigeria launched its war on terrorism, law enforcement officers have inadvertently become the counterstrike targets of organised criminal groups.
“Whilst reports from the Nigerian Armed Forces have alleged that the circumstances surrounding her death were purely accidental, it is important for all doubts to be cleared through an exhaustive inquest as to the cause of her death.
“The Joint National Action Civil Society Coalition respects and acknowledges the sacrifices of the Nigerian military and officers of law enforcement agencies who battle at the frontline against insecurity in our country, and urges the Government of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Armed Forces to ensure the security and welfare of all its security assets.”
It was not until after these outcries from individuals and groups that the Air Force at the weekend said it had arrested two persons in connection with Arotile’s death.
According to NAF’s spokesman, Commodore Daramola, “The two boys are in custody and the NAF will do a thorough investigation into the matter. It is a routine process – our own processes that are ongoing because it happened inside a NAF base.
“At the appropriate time, whatever information needs to go out will go out. But we cannot pre-empt that investigation process. Whatever needs to be known will be known; it is standard practice. So, we are investigating the circumstances leading to her death by a road traffic accident. It is an investigation because it may go beyond NAF.”
The legal advice also indicated that Arotile’s death was not premeditated, but “there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the 1st suspect, Nehemiah Adejor, for culpable homicide not punishable with death.”
It read in part, “On the 14 day of July, 2020, the suspects, all male of Auta Alkali Farin Gida, Mando, Kaduna, inside a Kia Sorento with number plate, Kaduna AZ 478 MKA, being driven by the 1st suspect, sited the deceased (NAF/4512F Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile) at the NAF Base, Kawo, Kaduna, whom they identified as their school mate at the Air Force Secondary School, Kaduna.
“In his cautionary statement, the 3rd suspect corroborated the statement of the 2nd suspect in all material particulars as to the events of July 14, 2020, as they relate to the death of Flying Officer Tolutope Arotile at the NAF Base, Kaduna.
“It is clear also from the investigation done that the 2nd and 3rd suspects were passengers and friends of the 1st suspect, who was driving the vehicle.
“From the foregoing, there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the 1st suspect for the offence of culpable homicide, not punishable with death, contrary to Section 191 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017, as there is no premeditation in the death of the victim.
“There is, however, insufficient evidence against the 2nd and 3rd suspects as the entire investigation did not disclose any offence against them other than being passengers in the vehicle of the 1st suspect.”
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, told reporters that the Adejor would be arraigned before the state High Court for culpable homicide not punishable with death on September 3, 2020.
Kaduna State High Court granted bail in the sum of N2 million to Nehemiah Adejoh, the driver of the car that knocked down Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.
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