The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that the remains of late Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, the service’s first female combat helicopter pilot, who died on Tuesday, will be buried on July 23 at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, who made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja, said the late Arotile would be buried with full military honours.
Daramola said the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had received some members of the Federal Executive Council as well as members of the National Assembly who visited him at NAF Headquarters at various times on Thursday.
He said they came to condole with him over the unfortunate demise of the young NAF pilot.
“Among them were the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen as well as the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
“The joint delegation from the upper and lower houses of the National Assembly, comprising 20 members, was led by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, Sen. Bala Ibn-Na’Allah, and the Chairman House Committee on the Air Force, Shehu Koko,” he said.
He said Tallen, during the visit, said she received the news of the death of Flying Officer Arotile with great shock from which, she said, would be difficult for her to recover.
She, however, noted that the death of the young pilot would not be in vain as she would forever be remembered for her gallantry and contributions towards ensuring a secured Nigeria.
The minister prayed that God would comfort the entire NAF family and grant the departed officer’s soul eternal rest.
While conveying his condolences, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, prayed that God would grant Flying Officer Arotile’s soul peaceful repose and her family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Sen. Ibn-Na’Allah said that the Senate Committee on Air Force and the Senate as a whole lacked the words to express how painful her death was to them.
