₦airaland Forum

Wonders shall nver cease

Ghaddafi was never the problem....

SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT... PRESS BRIEFING
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REPORT ON THE DEATH OF FLYING OFFICER TOLULOPE AROTILE

1. On 14 July 2020, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), and indeed the entire Nation, was thrown into mourning as a result of the death of one of our shining young stars in the person of Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, the NAF’s first female combat helicopter pilot. Her unfortunate demise has elicited an overwhelming outpouring of condolences, prayers and support to the NAF as well as the Arotile Family. This has no doubt been so, not just for Tolulope’s outstanding accomplishments at the tender age of 24, but also because of her sterling personal qualities of excellence, hard work, dedication to duty, confidence and courage, which endeared her to her superiors, subordinates and peers in the Service. Unfortunately, because of the peculiar circumstances of the incident that led to her death, a rash of falsehoods, innuendos, conspiracy theories and the likes have been propagated in the public space, especially on Social Media. The NAF sincerely hopes that the findings of the just-concluded preliminary investigation into this unfortunate and painful incident will address the misinformed issues raised in the Social Media on the tragedy.

2. Moreover, while it would have been ideal for the entire investigation to be concluded before details on the incident are released, the NAF, in sensitivity to public concerns occasioned by the spread of false information, appreciates the imperative to provide more clarity at this very difficult moment. Please note that the details being revealed today have already been communicated to the Arotile Family, who ideally should be allowed to mourn their daughter and sister in peace, but for the unfortunate nature of the sad occurrence.

3. In line with the normal procedure in the Nigerian Air Force during such occurrences, an investigation was immediately instituted to formally determine the circumstances of the incident. Accordingly, the preliminary investigation has revealed the following details:
a. The Late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, a Squadron Pilot at the 405 Helicopter Combat Training Group (405 HCTG) Enugu, attached to the Air Component of Operation GAMA AIKI in Minna, having recently completed her Promotion Examinations, was in Kaduna awaiting deployment for her next assignment. During this period, she stayed with her sister, Mrs Damilola Adegboye, at Sabo Area in Kaduna, visiting the NAF Base whenever necessary.
b. On 14 July 2020 at about 10.55am, Late Flying Officer Arotile received a phone call from her colleague, Flying Officer Perry Karimo, a fellow helicopter pilot from the 405 HCTG, who wanted to discuss arrangements for their return to Enugu, requesting that she comes to the Base so that they could work out the modalities. Subsequently, at about 10.58am, the Late Arotile placed a call through to Squadron Leader Diepiriye Batubo, the Group Operations Officer (GOO) of 405 HCTG, who was in Minna at the time, to clarify issues regarding her deployment. It must be highlighted that the call FROM Flying Officer Karimo as well as the one TO the Squadron Leader Batubo both took place before 11.00am, over 5 hours before the incident which led to her death.
c. Flying Officer Arotile was later conveyed from Sabo to the NAF Base Kaduna by her sister, Mrs Adegboye, where the Deceased dropped her phone for charging at a house in the Instructor Pilots’ Quarters belonging to Squadron Leader Alfa Ekele. Her elder sister later dropped her off at the Base Mammy Market at about 4.00pm, where she proceeded to photocopy and laminate some documents. It was while she was returning from the Mammy Market at about 4.30pm that 3 of her former schoolmates at the Air Force Secondary School (now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna; 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.
d. 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.
e. Flying Officer Arotile was subsequently rushed to the 461 NAF Hospital Kaduna for treatment, while Mr Folorunsho (one of the occupants of the vehicle) who is also an Accident & Emergency Nurse at the St Gerard Catholic Hospital Kaduna, administered First Aid.
f. Flying Officer Arotile was confirmed dead by the On-Call Doctor at the 461 NAF Hospital at about 4.45pm on 14 July 2020, as a result of the head injuries.
g. The trio of Messrs Nehemiah Adejoh, Igbekele Folorunsho and Festus Gbayegun were immediately detained at the Air Provost Wing, 453 Base Services Group Kaduna as investigations began. They were subjected to Toxicology Tests at the 461 NAF Hospital but no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances were found in their systems. It was however discovered that the driver of the vehicle, Mr Nehemiah Adejo, did not have a valid driver’s license.
h. Traffic Officers from the Kawo Police Station and the Kaduna State Police Command as well as Road Traffic experts from the Federal Road Safety Corp were also called in to provide support during the investigation.

4. Having carefully considered the foregoing, the preliminary investigation concluded that:
a. The death of Flying Officer Arotile was caused by blunt force trauma to the head and significant bleeding resulting from being struck by the vehicle.
b. 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.

5. The Nigerian Air Force, being a highly professional and disciplined organization, will not join issues with any individuals or groups regarding the spurious allegations of ‘foul play’ espoused in some quarters. Suffice it to say that Flying Officer Arotile was a pride of the NAF in whom the Service had invested massively in terms of resources, time and energy. Consequently, it is ludicrous for anyone to even remotely insinuate malevolent intent on the part of the Service against one of its most prized assets.

6. Furthermore, it is extremely sad and disheartening that, rather than allow the Arotile Family and the Nigerian Air Force to grieve for our dearly departed Tolulope in peace, many have chosen to politicize her death, while others are using the incident to push meritless, misguided ethnic and religious agendas. The Nigerian Air Force wishes to implore everyone to respect the sensibilities of all those who have suffered most by this loss, those who really knew Tolulope - her family, her friends and her Nigerian Air Force colleagues. It is of absolute importance that the memory of this Fallen Hero and our precious child is not tainted by the propagation of misplaced sentiments and wild shenanigans. Before I end this august address, may I respectfully, on behalf of the Chief of the Air Staff, the entire personnel of the NAF as well as members of the Arotile Family, express my profound appreciation to all those who in one way or the other have shown concern, support and sympathy over this unfortunate incident. Thank you for your attention.

IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force
19 July 2020

extol1:
you capture Senate building, library, auditorium and idahaba hall.

Dats not idachaba probably natural science or mgt Lt

OP it is no longer about Biafra alone...hunger, unemployment knows no tribe or religion....Nigerians are tired, nothing is
working, so many youths re just sitting at home doing nothing, unpaid pensions, lack of quality medical care, bad roads.
etc...only the few elites and their children are enjoying the country resources....the list is endless!!

so are they suppose to keep him in an hotel or what? this should serve as lesson to those that always look
for shortcut!

bigfish3k:
I know your region and religion

I know those that are fond of justifying a present crime just because it happened before.
Its a sickening and warped kind of reasoning

Lol...u know me just because i choose to not support ur hatred for this present administration?

Oga u know nothing, i am not a fan of buhari but stop all these one sided judgment...naija politicians are all the same!

NLReposter:
Democracy In Nigeria

(1999-2015)


RIP


She was so young and full of hopes

Stop this hypocrisy.. Which democracy?

Do i need to remind u of the Odi massacre in 1999?

The killings over 100 civilians in benue by soliders in several villages in the year 2001 under the same OBJ regime...

please spare me all these, (PDP & APC) they re all d same

Prayer alone cannot get u pple out of this mess....dont get me wrong but most of these leaders are hypocrites...

You quote the Quran in the day time and commit all manners of atrocities in the night, who are their sponsors?
what do they aim to achieve? insecurity will always thrive in the north as long as people continue to give birth
like rats,,,,so many of the youths re easily recruited to commit atrocities cux some of em dont even know their fathers.
When a child lacks parental care, what do u think will happen? what is the whole essence of prayers when they
refused to amend their ways and accept the fact that they themselves are their own worst enemies!!

After God,,, fear women n flee from temptation...

La click la...

After God....fear women, some of them can go to any length to pull a man down especially if they dont get what they want....

we were not there when it happened, i wont rush into any conclusions.....this should serve as a lesson to we MEN.....when the
bible said FLEE FROM TEMPTATION....E GET WHY!!!

at a time when so many persons ve lost their jobs, salaries cut by half, high rate of hunger in the land....the clueless government
think it is right for them to increase electricity tariff.

Its like this people wake up each day and decide on how to make life difficult for Nigerians...

Lawdis:
RIP to the dead.....but the type and size of the anaconda I saw in the first picture made me to stop saying anything

Haba...guy have some dignity

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Imagine if this happened in yoruba land...we for no hear word today...bunch of hypocrites �

Thanks fr sharing the living in bondage link....

The banks themselves are not helping matters....imagine GTBank opened only one branch to serve both ajegunle and Apapa...

space bookers be like.... A B C .....J K.....

Menance:
I don't even know him and have no business with coneheads..
but Rip and rest well.

even when people are in a state of mourning, u should pretend to ve some dignity and drop this
tribalistic mindset for once!

photon3106:
This used to be my favourite player for decent sound output. I use it with Viper4Android but not anymore.

You should try Musicolet. That's my current favourite

I just downloaded this musicolet app now, modified the equalizer settings as shown above...d sound output is top notch

osuofia2:
I love being Catholic... Proudly a Christian unlike the other pissful religion wey wan cut person head because of covid19 restrictions.. You will know if a sheep is a black by its shepherd.

The post is abt Catholics in ph, i dnt know why some of u like causing trouble...

GBOKASINCHA:
Afonja people and owambe .....

so it is only yorubas that re staying in Lagos? SMH

Lostz:
we didn't see this type of thread on Friday.

are Christians the only one gathering for religious purposes in this country?

So will it change d fact that theres an epidemic spreading all through d country....sometimes its better if we drop this sentiments n apply common sense...covid19 doesn't separate btw a Christian, a Muslim or a pagan..

Vatican shut down
Mecca shut down
Even England too

Hofbrauhaus:
They can stop going to mosque if they lik, but the church must go on....Nobody can stop christians from going to church, how much more when the order might be coming from a non Christian...

Sorry sir, Jesus spokesman... They said pple shld stay in their house for safety reasons n u re here forming holiness...re u better than those in Isreal or Vatican where pple ve been instructed to stay at home?

This kinda news dey bring sifia pains to some people