Chief of Air Staff Mourns Arotile, First Female Combat Helicopter Pilot, who Died at 24

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Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique, has expressed deep sorrow at the death of Tolulope Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, who died yesterday.

Arotile, 24, reportedly died from head injuries she sustained in a road traffic accident at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna.

She was decorated as a Flying Officer in the Air Force on October 15, 2019.

Sadique, in a tribute he shared on Twitter via, @CAS_AMSadique, said he was heart broken by Arotile’s death.

He described her as one of the “shining young stars” of the Nigerian Air Force.

The air force chief also said Arotile was “a very intelligent, disciplined, confident and courageous young officer who added value wherever she served”.

“I was heart broken when I received the sad news of the death of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile yesterday in Kaduna. Tolulope, who was winged in October 2019, as the first female @NigAirForce combat helicopter pilot, was one of our shining young stars.

“She was a very intelligent, disciplined, confident & courageous young officer who added value wherever she served. As a squadron pilot in Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, Niger State, she flew her quota of anti-banditry combat missions to ensure a safer, more secured Nigeria.

“I recall meeting her at the Minna Airport, while on operational visit, after one of such missions & seeing her eagerness to contribute towards the restoration of lasting peace to the affected areas. Her death is a huge loss to @NigAirForce family & indeed the entire Nation.

“On behalf officers, airmen, airwomen & civilian staff of @NigAirForce, I once more condole with the family of late Flying Officer Arotile over this irreparable loss & sincerely pray that the Almighty God grants her soul eternal rest,” Sadique tweeted.

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