National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By: Okosun Dennis
A day after the remains of Nigerian first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Sarah Arotile, was committed to mother Earth, the killers have been handed over to the Nigerian police for prosecution.
The three suspects, Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun, who were involved in the incident that led to her death were officially handed over by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on 24 July 2020.
Giving brief highlights during the handover at the NAF Base Kaduna, the Commander 453 Base Services Group (453 BSG), Group Captain Hadi Ahmed, recalled how, on 14 July 2020, about 4.30pm, a KIA Serento SUV, with Registration Number AZ 478 MKA (Kaduna), driven by Mr Adejoh, with the two others as passengers, knocked down Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.
As at the time of the incident, the pilot was walking along Air Marshal Ibrahim Alfa Road in NAF Base Kaduna, leading to her eventual death.
Group Captain Ahmed explained that the three persons involved in the accident, who were former schoolmates of the late Flying Officer at the Air Force Secondary School Kaduna, were on their way to visit the wife of a serving senior officer residing in the Base before the accident occurred.
He stated that the NAF would continue to cooperate with the Nigeria Police and provide all necessary support to enable it carry forward the case to its logical conclusion.
It would be recalled that the NAF, during a Press Conference on 19 July 2020 to give details of the outcome of its preliminary investigations, had informed Nigerians that the three persons involved in the accident would be handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and possible prosecution in line with extant laws.
It had ruled out ‘foul play’ in the accident adding that it was purely a “freak accident” that claimed the life of the officer who suffered head injuries, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI) reiterated.
