The Nigerian Air Force has revealed it would hand over the driver and two other passengers of the Kia Sorento SUV that killed Nigeria’s first female combat pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
The NAF said that the suspects – Mr Nehemiah Adejoh, Mr Igbekele Folorunsho and Mr Festus Gbayegun – all former schoolmates of Tolulope at the Air Force Comprehensive School (now Air Force Secondary School) Kaduna, were still in custody.
While disclosing the details of the preliminary investigation to at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja recently, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Comm. Ibikunle Daramola, NAF would collaborate with the police to prefer charges that are appropriate against the culpable people among the vehicle occupants.
Tolulope Arotile, 24, was knocked down by the suspects at the NAF base in Kaduna and her family members and groups like the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, had called for thorough investigation into her death.
While giving more insights into the accident, NAF said the driver, Adejoh was reversing the Kia Sorento SUV when the vehicle hit Arotile who fell and slammed her head on the tarmac. After she was knocked down, the vehicle ran over her body.
It was gethered that the culpable person among occupants of the car might face manslaughter charges and will be sentenced to seven years in prison if found guilty according to Section 28 of the Road Traffic Law which provides that where reckless and dangerous driving has led to the death of a person, the accused person shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment of seven years.
According to Daramola, the late pilot, who was deployed to the Air Component of Operation Gama Aiki in Minna, Niger State just completed her promotion examination and was in Kaduna expecting deployment for her next assignment.
Daramola said she was living with her sister, Mrs Damilola Adegboye, at the Sabo axis in Kaduna and she visits the NAF Base whenever necessary.
While narrating the chain of events that led to Arotile’s death, Daramola revealed that on the fateful day, at around 10.55am, Arotile received a phone call from her colleague, Flying Officer Perry Karimo, a fellow helicopter pilot from the 405 HCTG, who wanted to talk about arrangements for their return to Enugu.
Perry asked her to come to the base so they could iron out the modalities, adding that Arotile at 10.58am called the Group Operations Officer of 405 HCTG, Squadron Leader Diepiriye Batubo, who at that time was in Minna, to clarify issues regarding Arotile’s deployment.
Daramola noted that the call from Perry and the call to Batubo were both made before 11.00am, more that five hours before her death.
He said: “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 (sic) 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 three of her former schoolmates at the Air Force Secondary 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 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.”
Daramola disclosed that when Adejoh recognised Arotile after passing her, Adejoh reversed the vehicle in an effort to quickly meet up with her while walking in the opposite direction.
He said: “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.
“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. 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.”
Daramola made it known that the driver and the two occupants of the car were instantly detained at the Air Provost Wing, 453 Base Services Group Kaduna after the incident and investigations commenced.
He also said they were made to undergo toxicology tests at the 461 NAF Hospital but test result revealed no traces of alcohol or psychotropic substances p in their systems. He however noted that Adejo did not possess a valid driving licence.
Daramola talked further and said: “Traffic Officers from the Kawo Police Station and the Kaduna State Police Command as well as road traffic experts from the Federal Road Safety Corps were also called in to provide support during the investigation.
“Having carefully considered the foregoing, the preliminary investigation concluded that 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.
“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.”
