…names accident scene, other AirForce establishments after late female pilot
The Nigerian Air Force, on Thursday, said the killer of Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, will be handed over to the police on Friday for prosecution.
NAF also said it had concluded plans to name the road inside the AirForce Base in Kaduna where the freak accident that cost Arotile her life occurred, as well as the Mammy Market along the same road after the 24-year-old late officer.
Remains of the late AirForce officer were buried in Abuja on Thursday at the National Military Cemetery.
Other establishments such as the Combat Helicopters pilot building at the AirForce Base in PortHarcourt, Rivers State, NAF said, will also be named as monuments to immortalise the late female pilot.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed these in an interview.
Daramola said that the prime suspect in the accident as well as two others in the vehicle when the accident occurred on Tuesday last week, would be handed over to the police on Friday for “proper prosecution.”
The AIrForce spokesman had on Sunday given the name of Arotile’s ex-classmate, who drove the vehicle that “inadvertently” hit her while reversing to greet her, as “Mr Nehemiah Adejoh.”
Disclosing this at a press conference in Abuja, Daramola also said that Adejoh was with two other persons in the vehicle when the accident occurred. He identified them as Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun.
Daramola, however, added that, being a civil case, the matter would be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force.
While giving a report of a preliminary investigation carried out, the NAF spokesperson had said the late Arotile met three of her former schoolmates at the Air Force Secondary School (now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna on the day of the unfortunate incident.
Daramola had said, “Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun, drove past her in a Kia Sorento SUV, with Registration Number AZ 478 MKA. It is noteworthy that Messrs Adejoh, Folorunsho and Gbayegun are all civilians who live outside NAF Base Kaduna, but were on their way to visit one Mrs Chioma Ugwu, wife of Squadron Leader Chukwuemeka Ugwu, who lives at Ekagbo Quarters on the Base.
“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.”
The NAF spokesman said Arotile was rushed to NAF hospital in the base but was confirmed dead at 04:45pm.
He said that Arotile’s three ex-classmates were immediately detained and subjected to alcohol test, which turned out to be negative.
He added, “It was, however, discovered that the driver of the vehicle, Mr Nehemiah Adejo, did not have a valid driver’s license.
“Being a civil case, the matter will be handed over to the Nigeria Police with a view to further investigating and charging the suspects to court in accordance with extant laws.”