The remains of Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile were laid to rest on Thursday at the military cemetery on Airport Road, Abuja amidst torrents of tears.
The remains earlier brought by an ambulance belonging to the Nigerian Air Force with registration number AF 442 were lowered into the grave at exactly 11.05 am followed by a barrage of 21 gunshots.
Arotile, Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot died from a road traffic accident at the NAF base in Kaduna State. The air force had said the female officer sustained head injuries from the accident when she was “inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force secondary school classmate while trying to greet her.”
NAF said Arotile was hit by an ex-classmate, Nehemiah Adejoh, who had no valid driver’s licence, noting that the matter, being a civil case, would be transferred to the Nigeria Police Force.
The late Arotile was accorded full military compliments by the Nigerian Military led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin.
Apart from Gen. Olonisakin who paid tributes the late flying officer, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and his wife; the House Committee Chairman on Air Force, Bala Ib’n Nalla and the family members of the deceased were also paid their last respects.
This Post: Arotile buried in Abuja amidst torrents of tears was approved and published by Ancity Media Editor and may not be republished elsewhere without prior written permission from the Editor.
