Tolulope Arotile’s Death: Air Force Begins Probe, Detains Two Suspects

The Nigerian Airforce says it has commenced a discreet investigation into the death of flying officer Tolulope Arotile.

According to Vanguard, two persons have been detained in Kaduna, while Provost Officers are discreetly working to unearth the conversations she had on her phone on the day of the incident.

Arotile who is the first female helicopter combat pilot was said to have died from a car accident at the Airforce base in Kaduna.

However, her sister, Mrs Adegboye, had in an interview disclosed that the explanation given by NAF about Flying Officer Arotile’s death was not convincing enough.

She had said: “We in the family are not convinced Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigations.

“We want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all reasonable doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.” Mrs Adegboye hinged the family’s suspicion of the fact that Tolu and herself were in the room on the day of the incident.

She recalled that “a call came into her phone which she picked. But from the way she 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 saw the story online that something serious has happened to her. I couldn’t believe that somebody I just dropped off was dead.”

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, noted that at the end of the investigation, “whatever information needs to go out will go out”.

He added: “It is standard practice. So, we are investigating the circumstances leading to her death by a road traffic accident. It is an investigation. It may go beyond NAF.”

Already, the NAF has said the late Flying Officer Arotile would be given a Military burial on Thursday, July 23, at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, with full military honours.