The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has revealed the name of the driver of the vehicle that killed Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile.
The driver and Arotile’s ex-classmate was identified as “Mr Nehemiah Adejoh”.
Director of Public Relations and Information for NAF, Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed this in a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday.
He added that the suspect would be handed over to the police as the case is civil in nature.
According to Daramola, Arotile met Adejoh and two other classmates at the Air Force Secondary School now Air Force Comprehensive School) Kaduna when the incident occurred.
“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, 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.
The Air Force spokesman added that although Arotile was rushed to the NAF hospital on the base, medical personnel confirmed her dead at 04:45pm.
He noted that while the three men were immediately detained, alcohol tests conducted on them showed that they were clean of the substance.
Daramola explained, “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.”
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