We are not convinced Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident, we demand an investigation - Sister of Nigeria's first combat pilot speaks

Damilola Adegboye, the immediate elder sister of Tolulope Arotile, the first female combat helicopter pilot in the history of Nigerian Air Force who died on Tuesday, July 14, says the family isn't convinced she died in a freak accident and is demanding a full-scale investigation into the cause of the accident.

The Nigeria Air Force had released a statement saying Tolulope, 25, died when she was inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force Secondary School classmate while trying to greet her. Tolulope allegedly sustained head injuries that led to her death.

 

Adegboye who spoke with Punch, wondered how the reverse of a vehicle could kill a person in such a manner.

“We in the family are not convinced that Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigation, we want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.”

She said on the day of the incident, she and Arotile were sleeping in a room before she received a call.

“A call came into her phone which she picked but from the way they spoke, I knew the caller must be a senior officer calling her to come to Airforce base. She felt reluctant and I offered to drop her off.

One hour later, I read online that something serious had happened to her. I couldn’t believe that somebody I just dropped off is dead,” she explained.

Also speaking, the mother of Arotile went down memory lane about how she gave birth to her describing her as a special child adding that fasting and prayer was her hobby.