News broke out last week on the untimely death of Nigeria ever first flying officer combat, Tolulope Aritole Don at Kaduna Air force Base.
The news that did not go down well with concerned Nigerians as they are still asking why and how such an intelligent girl who has pursued her dream tenaciously at a very tender age could just die like that.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force on Sunday revealed the identity of the driver of the car that hit the late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Ibikunle Daramola, made this known at a just-ended briefing in Abuja.
Daramola gave the name of Arotile’s ex-classmate who drove the vehicle that hit Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot as “Mr Nehemiah Adejoh”.
The NAF spokesperson also said the matter would be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force being a civil case.
He said the details of the 24-year-old pilot have been communicated to her family who is still mourning their daughter and sister.
Giving a report of a preliminary investigation carried out, the NAF spokesperson said the late Arotile met three of her former schoolmates at the Air Force Secondary School now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna on the day of the unfortunate incident
He said, “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.
Upon recognising their schoolmate, Arotile, after passing her, Mr Adejoh Nehemiah 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.
Daramola said Arotile was rushed to NAF hospital in the base but was confirmed dead at 04:45pm.
He explained that the three ex-classmates were immediately detained and subjected to alcohol test but no such substance was 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.
“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,” he added.
Incidentally, Mr Nehemiah Adejo who drove the car that killed late officer Tolulope is her brother from Kogi East precisely, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The news writer chose to title this news this way because late Tolulope Aritole Don is also from Iffe Village in Yagba West Local Govt Area of kogi state while Nehemiah Adejo who happened to be the Driver is also from Kogi as stated above.
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